


Left in the Aftermath

by TrashcanKitty



Series: Left In The Aftermath [1]
Category: Winx Club
Genre: "choices", (Non Graphic) Suicidal Thoughts/Attempt, Aftermath of tragedy, Anger, Angst, Coercion, Deaths, F/F, F/M, Hallucinations, Holding on by a thread, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Just a lot of emotional shit going on, M/M, May Count As Dead Dove Do Not Eat, Misuse of Potions, Multi, PTSD, Panic, Post-War, The Council - Freeform, Therapy for Said Torture, Torture, War, trust lost
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-21
Updated: 2019-09-04
Packaged: 2020-07-09 16:11:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 32
Words: 64,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19890658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TrashcanKitty/pseuds/TrashcanKitty
Summary: Griffin should have known better. She never should have taken Oritel and Marion up on their offer. She never should have infiltrated the Ancestral Coven.She should have listened to her brother for once in her damned life...And now...Now that the war was over... Now that they were gone... She should be rebuilding, refocusing...But that wouldn't be possible... Not until the Council was done forcing them into this 'decompression therapy' bullshit. Idiots. The lot of them.





	1. Prologue: What Lies Beneath

**Author's Note:**

> So... Have tissues. Okay? That's all I've got. 
> 
> Also, in later chapters, this means a flashback while the story is being told/written down (-----FB-----FB----). 
> 
> In parenthesis are thoughts.
> 
> And the italicized are often non-verbalized memories or hallucinations. (Or sounds.)
> 
> Please be patient with uploads as this is still a WIP. 
> 
> (Thank you!)

Prologue: What Lies Beneath

_Tock. Tock. Tock. Tock. Tock._

Over and over the metronome went, the sound seeming to get louder and louder in her ears, despite being nowhere near it.

No, she was on a much-too-plush couch trying not to fidget with her fingers or let the incessant tocking of the metronome get to her…

She looked down at her feet, frowning a bit. She hated the uniform they had to wear at Magix Mercy; the too-white pants, the too-white shirt (with the M emblem), and the too-white shoes without laces.

Griffin could laugh. They were so worried about keeping everyone here away from things they could use to hurt themselves (or someone else, depending on their mood), but didn’t do a thing to deplete their magic.

Fools. The whole lot of them. And the biggest one was sitting in the chair across from her, tapping her foot and glancing at her watch, as if Griffin were wasting her time. (She was, but that was beside the point… Griffin didn’t want her here anyway.)

But it was mandatory. The war was over and all the remaining Company of Light members had to ‘decompress’. (Now that was a laugh in and of itself. As if ‘decompressing’ really did anything… The Council just wanted to remove their guilt from the situation… The bastards.)

“You know, you’re one of the last holdouts, Griffin. Most of your friends have already completed their decompression therapy… They’re out of here… Wouldn’t you like that?” Dr. Faye asked. Griffin wanted to roll her eyes.

Of course she wanted to get out. She hated feeling confined… (All it did was remind her of _then_. Of the _before_. And she couldn’t stand it.)

But she couldn’t speak up, not like they wanted. Speaking made it reality. Speaking about it let it sink in and consume and she… She _couldn’t_. Not again.

So instead of answering, the witch pulled her legs up to her chest, trying to mentally quiet the metronome before she actually tried to destroy it. (Wouldn’t be the first time she’d had an outburst like that… And she was sure it wouldn’t be the last.)

“I read over your medical files that Dr. Ofelia sent... How did you manage to get Lichtenberg scars on your back?” Dr. Faye persisted. (She had to be new… The others had already decided to leave Griffin alone… Faye was just the latest in a long list of therapists who’d tried to break in.)

But the question… Griffin shut her eyes a little tighter, trying not to react as images of Tharma and the feel of electricity rushing through her body ran through her mind. (At least the metronome drowned out the sound of her cackling…)

“Or if you’d rather… We can talk about Obsidian? I saw where… Where King Oritel had written that you went off the radar for a few months, that your cover had been blown.” Now that struck a nerve.

_She remembered trying to flee. She remembered each failed escape attempt, how they’d drag her back to Obsidian’s dungeons… Up until he decided she’d be his ‘pet project’._

_The scars, the beatings, the hallucinations from the Ancestral Witches were nothing… Nothing compared to him…_

_She nearly rubbed her skin raw in the showers at the Fortress when she’d finally gotten free, just trying to erase it all._

Griffin fought the urge to shake, her fingers tapping quickly on her knees, trying to bring her back down…

Anchoring… She needed to start anchoring again… Or it’d get worse… And worse… And…

Faye looked to her watch, giving a sigh. “You do need to participate in this Griffin… They won’t let you leave until you do…” The doctor spoke. She grabbed her bag, starting to put her things away. “I honestly don’t know why you won’t speak up… All they want is to know what happened.”

Griffin shook her head. No… That’s not at all what they wanted. They wanted scrape goats. They wanted blood. And they wanted proof that they weren’t at fault. (Which they were… If they’d only stop favoring light magic to dark…)

The witch sat up a little straighter, trying to calm herself down from the flashes of memory. _A strike there. A scream here. Blood? Whose blood was that?_

“Don’t ask questions you don’t really want the answer to.” Griffin whispered to the dark-skinned woman, voice hoarse from underuse. Her fingers started back to thrumming on her knees, fidgeting.

Faye paused, looking hard at the witch, brown eyes wide. “You just spoke… We call that progress, you know?” Faye gave a little smile. “I’ll see you in two days, Ms. Sylvane… Maybe you’ll feel like speaking more?”

Griffin turned her head away. _No eye contact. Lysslis used eye contact to mess with your head. You can’t look her in the eyes._

She waited to hear the door shut before standing, making her way out of the door and to the bathroom…

She set her glasses aside, splashing cold water on her face at the sink. She had to anchor. Had to remember.

She wasn’t there. They were dead. All of them. She was safe… Safe…

Safe.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------

A knock on ‘her’ bedroom door had her nearly jumping out of her skin, the book she had falling to the floor.

“Griffin…? You up for a visitor?” A familiar voice asked. She took a deep breath, trying to slow down her racing heart.

Salvador. It was just Salvador. Nothing wrong there.

She walked over to her door, undoing the lock to let him in. He gave one of his loop-sided grins, amber eyes shining in a way that hadn’t a few month ago…

_Domino was encased in ice, destroying itself. Death filled the air… Screams and shouts… Fear running rampant._

He opened his arms. An invitation and a question. _Can we hug?_ Griffin closed the space, hugging her older brother tight.

 _Safe. He’d been safe all-along… Safe with Palladium and Faragonda… And… She felt sick again… So sick_.

Griffin tensed for a moment when Salvador hugged her back, relaxing into him as she could. He kissed the top of her head, a habit he’d picked back up after the last year… When everything turned to shit.

“So I heard you actually said a sentence to your new therapist today. Which is incredible, considering Hagen and Magnethia are still refusing to speak with anyone not associated with us… So maybe you won’t be the last one out.” A half-joke, but Griffin could feel his worry.

“You and I know they’ll never let me out if I tell everything.” Griffin whispered, leaning into her brother.

_No one will believe you. Who would? You complied. You agreed. Does it matter the situation? Yes was yes._

She involuntarily squeezed her arms around her brother, laying her head on his shoulder, smudging her glasses to hell. Salvador gave a low hum, standing still to let her do as she pleased. “Griffin… Anything you say is going to be destroyed. Okay? They’re not going to use our words against us, that’s completely against the confidentiality agreements. Remember?” Salvador whispered back.

“They lie all the time, Sal… Why wouldn’t they about this…?” She winced as her voice broke, moving away from her brother to the bottle of water she got to keep near her. She took a long drink, looking to her brother for his answer.

He took a breath, running his fingers through his short purple hair. “All I can think of is they wouldn’t want to lie to us. We’ve been in a war, Griffin… We’ve fought in the war. And we… We’re capable of overthrowing them if they don’t keep their end of the bargain.”

“And that’s why I think you should talk to the new doc… You don’t have to trust her, you just got to talk to her.” Salvador tried to reason.

Griffin wrapped her arms around herself, her half-bitten nails digging into her skin. She shook her head, trying not to let her body shake too. “You don’t _get_ it. It’s not… That simple.” She swallowed. “It’s not that simple.”

Salvador walked over, carefully taking his sister’s hands in his. “I know… I know. And I don’t want to push you, Griffin… But…” he gave a bit of a sad smile, the one where his eyes didn’t light up. “We miss you… And… You know Palladium wants you to be there when Morgan is born… And that’s coming up…”

Griffin bit her lip, looking to the floor. She wanted to be there… She wanted to see her niece or nephew make it into the world. She wanted to taunt Salvador about his taste in onesies and tease poor Palladium until the elf was red-faced… Just like old times…

_She could hear a piercing cry… The first cry of life… There was so much going on… Did she laugh? Cry? She settled for feeling relieved… Relieved the girl was alive…_

“I… Can’t make any promises.” Griffin told him, squeezing her brother’s hands. “But… I’ll… I’ll try.”

She couldn’t tell her brother ‘no’…. Not over something so important… Not when… They were all they had left.

Salvador smiled, pulling her in for a small hug. “You’ll feel a little lighter you know, when you start talking… I did.” Griffin shook her head, a smile coming to her lips.

“You never had much to hide.” She teased. Salvador grinned.

“Look at that. My sister’s smiling again. And teasing… Dragons it must be my lucky day.” He teased, swearing when he saw the clock. He kissed the top of her head, giving her another hug.

“Love you.”

“I love you too… Be safe.” (She meant that. He needed to stay safe. He had to.)

“Always.”


	2. Chapter One: Where It Started

  1. Where It Started



_He had her against the wall, arms above her head. She struggled against him, wishing for the first time she had taken Hagen’s offer for one of his magic swords._

_“I want you to relax. Just relax.” He whispered, placing his free hand over her heart, a burning sensation overwhelming her enough to bring tears to her eyes. It stung… Worse than a catapoe bite… Or even fairy dust on an open wound. “That should do it…” He chuckled, as if he’d told a joke._

_“You’re wasting your time.” She seethed, glaring him in the eyes. “If I didn’t break for the Ancestral Witches, what makes you think I’d break for you?”_

_There it was. A smile that could make even the devil’s blood run cold. “You’ll see, very soon, you’ll see.”_

\-------------------------------------------------------

Griffin had to bite down on her pillow to keep from screaming out when she woke up. Sweat pored off of her, her body shaking.

And… She got to her feet and out of the room, heading for the ladies’ bathroom. She threw up in one of the stalls, that sickening feeling still creeping inside of her veins.

“Griffin… Griffin… You okay?” Magnethia… Great. Just great.

The witch flushed the toilet, grabbing a paper towel to clean her mouth as she got to her feet. Magnethia tilted her head, worry evident in her green eyes. “Griffin?”

“I’m fine, Maggie… Just… Not sleeping well is all.” Griffin admitted, voice still hoarse. She walked over to the sink, wetting a new paper towel to try and cool herself down. “What are you doing up?” She whispered.

The fairy gave a slight smile. “It’s morning on Zenith… Though you’d think by now I’d be on Magix time…” She paused. “Is it true? That you, me, and Hagen are all that are left in here…?”

Griffin shrugged, trying to focus on her breathing. (Still erratic, that feeling of wanting to run still there.)

“Maybe it’s time then… To tell my side…” Magnethia sighed, pushing back her cyan locks. “Or… Do you think it’s a trick by the Council? I know you never trusted them, and to be honest, after everything that’s happened, I’m not sure I do either…”

The witch swallowed, leaning against the bathroom wall. “I… I don’t know… All I know is… I’m going to have to…” She shook her head. “I’ll have to ‘open up’ sooner or later.” She used air quotes, that sickening feeling returning at the thought.

Magnethia’s eyes seemed to widen, shocked perhaps… Or… Curious? Griffin couldn’t help but look away, those green eyes almost looking too closely at her.

“Why now?” She asked, walking over. “I mean…” The fairy turned away. “Sorry. Not my business…”

Griffin sighed, turning to leave. “I can’t miss my brother becoming a dad, now can I?” She half-teased, heading out the door and back to her room… (Maybe this time she’d get some real sleep…)

\-------------------------------------------------------------

The witch found herself back in the ‘therapy’ room, sitting cross-legged on the couch. She was a few minutes early for her ‘appointment’ but waiting was fine… It gave her time to prepare…

She just had to remember why she was doing this… That things would be okay if she went through with it…

And if that damn metronome didn’t stop…

 _Creak._ Griffin nearly jumped out of her skin as the door opened up, Dr. Faye holding her hands in a surrender position.

“Easy there… I didn’t know you were already in here or I would’ve made my presence known.” Dr. Faye walked in, shutting the door behind her, casting a sound-proof spell.

She went to her seat, pulling out her pen and notepad, giving Griffin a smile. (Almost genuine… Not like Dr. Maxwell who had the ‘forced’ smile down.)

“Is this going to be another session of you just sitting there and willing me away or are we going to actually talk this time?” Faye asked, a half-teasing tone in her voice. Griffin looked up to face the doctor, wanting to find the words.

“Does… The metronome have to be on?” She finally managed to ask, even managing to get her voice above a whisper. Dr. Faye raised her hand, the ‘tock’ noise stopping. (Finally… Peace and quiet.)

“That’s a start I guess… Asking for something…” Faye paused. “You told me last time… That I shouldn’t ask questions if I don’t want to know the answers… What if I did want to know the answers? I’ve never asked a question I didn’t want the answer to.” Faye kept her voice even.

Griffin shook her head, wanting to laugh but unable to find her humor. (They always asked questions… And no one was ever prepared for the answers. No one.)

“I find that hard to believe.” Griffin whispered, pushing a loose strand of hair back.

“But it’s true. I want to know your story Griffin. What happened out there, during the war?” Dr. Faye asked.

_Pain. Death. Destruction. Families falling apart, loved ones buried in the ground. Magic more a weapon than just a tool._

_Doubt. Greed. Capture. Broken promises. Pretty lies and even more harsh truths._

“Everyone knows what happened. Domino and Obsidian are destroyed. The Ancestral Witches are no more… And everything is balanced again.” Griffin found the strength to say. (Easy. It was something everyone knew. It was all over the news, on every paper and channel.)

Dr. Faye gave a wry smile. “Now that’s not what I meant…” Griffin shrugged, moving so her legs were pulled to her chest and her arms wrapped around them.

“You said you wanted to know what happened…” Griffin muttered. Faye shook her head.

“I meant… On a more personal note… Which is why I thought of this…” She went for her purse, pulling out a new notepad and a pen, setting it on the table in between her and Griffin. “I’ll ask you a question and you verbally answer what you can, but write down what you don’t think you can get out. And we’ll go from there.”

Griffin paused, stealing a glance to Dr. Faye before going to get the notepad and pen, finding a more comfortable way to sit. “How do I know you won’t break confidentiality with this?” She asked. Faye smiled.

“There’s a sort of spell we therapists have to cast on ourselves… It prevents us from doing or saying what we shouldn’t about or to our patients… And that’s all I can really say about that.” The dark haired woman leaned back in her chair. “Does this mean you’re willing to try this route?”

Griffin sighed. “I don’t see much choice…” She lamented, taking a breath. “Where do you want me to start?”

Dr. Faye hummed. “How about with how you ended up working for the Company of Light in the first place?”

Simple enough… Griffin leaned back, trying to find her words….

\------------------------FB-----------------FB----------------

It was finally coming together… It was all connected. Her father had been right, and the Council… Well wouldn’t they be in for a rude awakening?

Griffin was quick to document her findings, how the end of light magic on Earth caused the planet to begin a rapid descent into madness as their balance was destroyed.

Which quickly led to dark magic wiping itself out with the constant paranoia and wars, which led to Earth becoming a magically dead planet.

She could sense the presence behind her and hear her brother’s heavy footsteps as he approached. “Going by the look in your eye, you’ve found something?” Salvador teased, leaning in the doorway.

Griffin rolled her eyes, turning to Salvador. “It’s something… And its evidence toward Dad’s working theory…”

“The one that said magic had to be balanced to keep the worlds balanced?” Salvador asked, frowning. “Because I’m pretty sure the Council warned him to keep away from that.”

“Forget the Council. This is much bigger than those cretins. All I need is to find a little more evidence to prove the theory. I mean… Earth is evidence enough, but considering most of us weren’t around during those dark times for magic… We can’t be too sure…” Griffin moved away from the desk, looking over the books on the shelves.

“Though I bet we could find evidence from one of the other planets… I just need this…” She pulled down one of the planetary guidebooks. “We track down each of the dead planets and find their history… I bet their downfall can be pinpointed to a time when balance between light and dark magic was lost…”

Salvador shook his head, moving over to his sister and taking the book out of her hands. “Hey! Give that back!” She glowered, moving to grab it from him.

“Slow down, Sister… I think you’re forgetting something important here… You’re supposed to be resting. Remember? First summer in years that you don’t have to prepare to head back to Cloud Tower? First _free_ summer you’ve had since we were kids?” Salvador held the book out of her reach.

Griffin scowled, snapping her fingers. Salvador felt heat on his hand, unable to hold the book. He dropped it, blowing on his hand to get rid of that burning sensation he felt. “Dragons, Griff! Are you trying to burn me?”

“No. I just wanted my book back.” Griffin reminded him, heading back to the desk. “Now… I get that you love me and worry that I’m going to overwork myself, but this is something important and it can’t wait. Not when lives are on the line.” Griffin pointed out. Salvador frowned, crossing his arms.

“Lives are on the line? Since when?” Griffin gave him a look, shocked and just… How? How could he not know?

“Have you not been paying attention to the news? The Ancestral Witches are building an army on Obsidian. An army of pissed off dark magic users who want to end the Council. And while normally I’d be all for that… The ‘Ancestral Witches’ part makes me nervous.” Griffin sighed.

“I mean… They’re basically like jinn. You make a wish, and they turn it into something horrid. You can’t trust them. They’re not… Normal witches. You understand?” Griffin paused, noticing her brother looking out the window. “Are you even listening to me?”

“Oh I’m listening… But this is… You may want to let them in.” Salvador spoke, not giving any hints.

Griffin frowned, going up to where her brother stood, swearing when she looked out the window.

King Oritel and Queen Marion had arrived in their regal uniforms, Faragonda and Saladin at their sides.

“What the hell are they doing here?” Griffin snarled.

“I don’t know… But they don’t look thrilled to be here… You didn’t start anymore riots did you?” Salvador asked. “Because I don’t think I could bail you out again.”

Griffin shot him a look. “I’ve been quiet and complacent for once, thank you.” She snipped, heading down the stairs…

She opened the door to the office, crossing her arms. “I don’t know why you’re here, but it better be good.” She ‘greeted’, giving looks to the four before her.

Her brother had come down the stairs, placing an arm around his sister. “Hello… Sorry that she’s so grumpy. Anything we can help you with?” He asked, giving Griffin a ‘shut up’ look.

Oritel took a breath, holding tight to Marion’s hand. “I honestly can’t believe I’m saying this… But we need your help, Griffin… It’s… Important.”

Griffin paused. “You… Need _my_ help? Is this a prank?” She asked. “I thought we stopped doing those after high school…”

The brunette fairy, Faragonda, stepped forward. Her eyes had bags underneath, like she’d not slept in while, and the blue of her eyes had lost their shine. “Griffin… This isn’t a joke… Or a prank… We need your help.”

“It’s the Ancestral Witches… They’ve been… They have an upper-hand on us… We’ve lost so many good people in this fight… And… I don’t see how we can win without someone like you…” Saladin pitched up. His face had a large bruise on it, his grip even tighter on his staff than normal.

Marion extended her hand to Griffin, her eyes shining bright. “You’re just what we need to turn this all around, please… Don’t turn this down.”

Griffin pinched the bridge of nose, gesturing for them to come in, leading them up to the office space. (This was going to require privacy and place to sit because… Oritel and Saladin admitting to needing her help? That never happened.)

\------------------------------------------------------------

“So let me get this straight, so we’re all on the same page here.” Griffin started, looking among her four guests. “You want me to join the Ancestral Coven and spy on them, so that you can have an insider take them down from the inside out?” Griffin asked. “Does that cover it?”

Oritel gave a nod. “It’s what we’re asking of you… I know it’s dangerous, but out of everyone we know… You’d be the most believable choice to have join them. I mean, you have history fighting all of us anyway… And everyone knows how you feel about the Council.”

“But it’s your choice… We understand how dangerous this is.” Marion admitted, holding herself. “We just… We’re getting tired of losing and there’s only so much we can do to stop them.”

Griffin looked to her brother. “I don’t know… Sounds too risky… I prefer sure things.” Griffin reminded them. Salvador shrugged.

“She’s got a point… I mean, what if she gets caught?”

Faragonda gave a smile. “Griffin, you’ve snuck into and out of Alfea how many times? Eighteen? And you only got caught… What… twice? You’ll be fine.” Faragonda tried to encourage.

Saladin looked at the desk, as if studying the books. “You know… We’d make it worth your while? You do this for the Company of Light and we’ll help with this research you’re starting on.” Saladin gestured to the books and Griffin’s notes.

And… She’d be lying if she said it wasn’t a promising offer… “You’d help me disprove the Council? To show that there is a balance between dark and light magic and the rest of the magical dimension?” Griffin asked.

Marion and Oritel shared a look and smile. “You have our word.”

\-----------FB--------------FB---------

“So you joined the Company of Light because of your research?” Dr. Faye asked. Griffin gave a nod, memories flashing of accepting the deal and arguing with Salvador…

She should have listened to him… She should have trusted his gut… But she was… She was so stupid.

“Yeah… I… I agreed. My brother wasn’t thrilled… But he decided to join the Company so he could keep an eye on me…” She gave a weak smile. “Brothers… Am I right?”

Faye chuckled. “I have a few of my own… And they’re quite something.” She paused. “So how did you ‘join’ the Coven?” Faye asked, using air quotes around join.

_Zatura. She was always so insistent… She knew what she was doing… A master of illusions and hypnosis, a witch’s witch._

“I had an ‘in’ already… A former friend who… Who had joined right after high school…” Griffin started, the memories bubbling up.


	3. Chapter Two: Initiation

  1. Initiation



Word had spread through the dark realms that Griffin had been ‘visited’ by Oritel and Marion, and that there was a ‘fight’.

(A small lie that would bait her friend into arriving, she just had to be patient. And Griffin had always been patient.)

She had her usual booth at Jinxes’ on Rancor, focusing on highlighting a few passages on the _History of Niea_ for her research. The witch could sense someone watching her from across the room, but kept her focus to the book.

Soon enough, she could hear the clicking of heels and smell the ‘beautiful poison’ perfume her friend loved to wear. “Griffin, it’s been a while since I’ve seen you. How’ve you been?” The melodic voice asked.

Griffin gave a smile, setting her book aside. “I’ve been better, if I hadn’t just been accused of crimes I didn’t commit. But that’s our whole story, isn’t it?” Griffin half-teased, gesturing for her friend to sit with her. “What brings you to Rancor?”

The curly-haired witch gave one of her sweeter smiles, her grey eyes seeming to light up. “You, my friend. I came to see you… I mean, I had to after I heard about what happened with Oritel and Marion…” She shook her head, tsking. “Honestly, you think they’d’ve learned to leave you alone by now.”

Griffin sighed, taking a sip of her tea. “You know how it is… If something goes wrong, it’s automatically a witch’s fault… And what witch do they know better than me?” She gave a dark chuckle. “As if they know me, anyway…”

Zatura leaned back in the booth, a small snowflake insignia on her shoulder catching Griffin’s attention. “Tattoo?” She asked, gesturing.

The older witch winked. “Actually, it’s part of what I’m here to talk to you about… I mean… After hearing how Oritel and Marion did you, I talked to my… Mentor… And she’s very interested in you, Griffin. Very interested.”

Griffin raised an eyebrow, letting confusion come to her face. “Your mentor is interested in me? Why does that not sound like a good thing? Your mentor in what?” Griffin asked. Zatura took her hand, blue nails shining under the restaurant lights.

“Griffin… What I’m about to tell you will change your whole world view…” Zatura began, her voice becoming hushed. “I’ve been chosen by Belladonna, yes, _that_ Belladonna, to be trained in the dark arts…” Griffin swore softly.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” She whispered/hissed at her friend, trying to feign shock and awe. “Do you have any idea what’s going on right now? How bad things are getting?”

Zatura laughed. “Oh, Griffin… You always were such a worrier… Which is part of the reason they want you… You’ve always been so careful, and your plans so well constructed… You could help us win this war…”

“And I want to do that because…?” Griffin asked, crossing her arms. “I mean… What’s in it for me?”

The witch played with a strand of curly hair, giving Griffin a twisted smile. “My dear, you’d be given the realms. We can rewrite the magical dimensions as we see fit… Dark magic can finally have its place in the worlds.” Zatura gestured to Griffin’s book. “And that research you’ve been working on? Consider it finished. You’d have your thesis, your research… Everything you’ve worked for, completed.”

It sounded good… (Too good to be true. And Griffin knew it would be… But she had a job to do.)

“That…. That sounds wonderful… But why would they help me?” Griffin asked.

“Because they want you to be one of us.” Zatura pouted her full lips, her eyes doing the ‘puppy pout’ she was so known for doing to the Red Fountain boys once upon a time. “I want you to be one of us…”

Griffin sighed. “Okay… Okay.” The purple-haired witch pushed her glasses up, giving a smile. “What do I have to sign?”

\---------------------------FB-----------------------FB--------------------

“And it was that simple to join the Coven? Just a simple ‘yes’?” Dr. Faye asked. Griffin swallowed, shaking her head.

“No… There was… More to it… An… Initiation for the new recruits.” Griffin bit her lip, images of Obsidian’s battle ground flashing through her mind. “I had to fight with a known member… To prove myself.”

Dr. Faye looked to her expectantly, her hands doing that stupid coaxing motion Faragonda used to use when trying to rush a plan. “I know you had to have won, but who did you fight, how did it go?” Faye asked.

Griffin pushed her hair back from her face, searching for the words she needed. “I fought with a banshee named Maeve… She was… Formidable, and just as power hungry as the rest of them.”

\----------------------FB-------------------------FB-------------------------

Obsidian was one of the most enchanting dark realms in the known magical universe. Haunting Swallowtail Blooms, Weeping Spirit Willows, a red/purple sky, Obsidian Nightmares racing with their jockeys along cobblestone pathways, and the castle itself…

It had a similar architecture to Cloud Tower’s castle, but it seemed to have a more runic appearance with the archways and the openness toward the cliffsides.

“So this is where you’ve been staying?” Griffin finally asked, once the awe had disappeared. Zatura giggled a bit, taking Griffin’s hand.

“Come on… I have so much to show you… But you need to get through initiation first.” Zatura lead her inside.

“Initiation?”

“Think of it like Cloud Tower’s Freshman Orientation ceremony… You just do your best in a fight and they’ll place you… And once you’re placed, we can go on to the tour and then you’ll get a room and meet your partner.” Zatura grinned. “I hope we’re partners again… We caused sooo much mayhem at CT… It’d be a shame not to let us work together.”

“A crying shame, even.” Griffin teased, trying to keep her nerves under control. (She could do a fight. A simple fight. Do a tour. Get her room. Meet her partner. Easy.)

\------------------------------------------------------------------------

Griffin had been known to be wrong before… This was one of those times.

Zatura had failed to mention that the rest of the Coven would be there to watch the fight, including the Ancestral Witches’ themselves. (And a few other familiar faces, like Lord Darkar and Lady Mandragora from ShadowHaunt and the Wizards of the Black Circle from Earth).

Griffin glowered at her friend, grabbing the other witch harshly by the wrists. “Why the hell didn’t you warn me?”

“Because I didn’t want you getting nervous and trying to plot out all the details… You need to learn to be spontaneous…” Zatura winked. “Don’t worry, Griff. You’ve got this… I know you’re opponent, and she’s got nothing on you.”

Griffin sneered at Zatura. “I’m still pissed with you….”

“You’ll get over it. Now go kick some ass.” Zatura playfully shoved Griffin into the barriered room.

Griffin waited for her opponent to arrive, feeling a bit of relief when she saw it was a young woman with short black hair and bright brown eyes. (Simple enough, another witch.)

That feeling of relief quickly disappeared when the girl shifted into a banshee, complete with the green skin and permanent scowl. The banshee opened her mouth to shriek, forcing Griffin to have to think fast.

She closed her eyes, casting a muting spell to keep the banshee from shrieking. The creature glowered its red eyes at Griffin, unamused by the spell. “Sorry, but I can’t afford to go deaf too.” Griffin tried to joke it off, sending a blast of energy toward the creature.

It jumped quickly, speeding toward Griffin, claws outstretched. The creature managed to grab the witch by the shoulders, the claws cutting into her shoulders and tearing shreds of her shirt.

She glared. “Okay… Guess we’re getting physical.” She grabbed hold of the creature’s arms and shoved her feet into its stomach, making it let her go. Griffin teleported quickly behind it, creating orbs of glowing energy to blast it back.

Soon enough the creature was back to the young woman, holding to her stomach, steam from the blasts coming from her back. “Lucky break, Newbie… Lucky break.” She managed to choke out, giving a slight laugh.

The barrier came down, Zatura rushing to Griffin. “That was incredible. I told you, you had nothing to worry about.” She looked to the banshee. “Sorry Maeve, better luck next time?” Zatura grinned.

Banshee girl, Maeve, got to her feet, wincing a bit. “Oh, I’ll get a rematch.” She looked to Griffin, giving a wink. “Don’t think I’ll go easy on you next time though… I’ll beat you.”

Griffin took a breath, giving a smile. “You’re welcome to try.”

Zatura took hold of her hand again, giving a squeeze. “Come on… I need to show you around before you can really get started… We don’t need you getting lost here… And it’ll give our Mistresses time to decide on your partner.”

Griffin paused. “Only if this tour includes a trip to the kitchen… I’m in desperate need of something to drink.” The witch half-teased. Zatura laughed, wrapping an arm around Griffin.

“Don’t worry, Wiatch… You’ll be well taken care of here.”

\-----------------------------FB------------------------FB----------------

“So what was Obsidian castle like?” Dr. Faye asked. Griffin shrugged, pulling her legs under her.

“I… I made a map. I know. For the Company to use… I… There were innumerable bedrooms it seemed… Like the whole Coven stayed there… And… There was the meeting rooms, the ‘classrooms’.”

“Classrooms?” Dr. Faye frowned. “What sort of classes could _they_ have taught?” Griffin shook her head, writing on the notepad.

_How to survive. How long can you handle your blood being frozen over? Can you stand a shockwave? What about boiling from the inside out? Can you be hypnotized?_

_She remembered those lessons all too well. How sore she was after each one, how she grew to fear what the Ancestral Witches were truly capable of…_

_The cold in her blood, the uncertainty of what was real or what was a hallucination. She could barely trust herself after those sessions, the strain almost too much…_

Griffin took a breath. “Extensive lessons…” She spoke, the only way she could describe them. “Horrible lessons…” She swallowed, trying to find the words to change the subject. “The kitchen had a staff… We… Had a grand dining hall that easily doubled as a ballroom… They were big on putting us together to form ‘bonds’ with one another…”

“They wanted you to be a cohesive unit? That’s impressive… For a group of power hungry witches.” Dr. Faye smiled. A sort of joke… A bad one.

Griffin felt her mouth twitch a bit, almost a smile. “They felt that if we were close, we’d be more willing to fight alongside each other… They believed in the whole… Power in numbers thing…” She shrugged. “The library was where I stayed most of the time… They had a wonderful library, if you knew where to look…”

“I bet...” Dr. Faye paused, looking over a report she had. “What about the ceremony room? What can you say about that?” Faye asked.

The witch felt herself freeze up, the breath knocked out of her.

_“You have three choices here, Griffin. Which choice do you want to make?” He gave one of those bone-chilling laughs, showing her the image of her brother down in the dungeons where she had been. “What’s it going to be Griffin? I’m not known for my patience.”_

“Griffin? Are you with me?” The doctor asked, leaning forward a bit. Griffin felt herself jump at the sudden proximity (even if it wasn’t that close).

“There’s nothing to say about it. Just where… Where they would take others into their Inner Circle.” Griffin half-lied. There was plenty could say about it.

The candles that lit up to form their marks in flames. The too-soft pillows on the floor for what was happening around her. To her.

The damned potion…

Griffin pulled her glasses off, wiping at the tears she felt. “Griffin… You don’t have to say anything right now, but I do hope when we get there, for your story… You’ll say something.” Griffin swallowed, putting her glasses back on.

“Maybe…” The witch bit her lip, deciding to change the subject. “I was lucky… My room was near Zatura and Mandragora’s… The three of us made quite a team… As far as the Ancestral Witches were concerned… I sort of felt like I was back at Cloud Tower, with the messes we made.” She managed to find a smile there, remembering the other two witches.

“Do you regret having to lock them away?” Griffin paused at the question, searching for the answers.

“Sometimes… Sometimes I do miss them… But I knew what they were really doing… And I had my orders.” Griffin swallowed, hoping for the whole thing to be over soon…

She got her wish, the doctor looked at her watch and sighed. “We’ll pick this up on Friday.” Dr. Faye gave Griffin a smile, taking the notepads and pens and putting them away. “I’m so glad we’re making progress.”

Griffin shrugged, laying her head on against the couch. “If that’s what you want to call it…” She listened as the doctor left and the door shut.

Dragons, she could use a drink after that… But Magix Mercy was a ‘dry’ spot… So she’d have to wait until… Until she hopefully got out of here…

\--------------------------------------------------------

Hagen and Magnethia were playing a game of chess when Griffin walked out of the room, both arguing about a move that Hagen just made.

“I’m telling you, the move is perfectly legal. I know the rules.” Hagen snipped.

“Hagen… You put your knight in a position it can’t logically be in if it only travels-” the fairy paused when she saw Griffin, giving a slight smile. “Griffin, are we being too loud?”

Hagen gave a sheepish smile, twirling a strand from his beard. “We’ll keep it down if you need us too… We’re just having a bit of a… Disagreement…” Griffin looked the board over, shaking her head.

“At this rate, you’ll be forced into a stalemate… If you wouldn’t have placed your knight there, Hagen, you could have made a go for her queen.” Griffin commented, tilting her head a bit. “But that’s just how I’d play.”

Hagen gave a low whistle. “How the hell didn’t we see that?”

“Because we were too busy arguing…” Magnethia turned to Griffin. “So how did your session go?”

“You’re not giving into the weasels are you? I’m telling you, they just want to-” Griffin and Magnethia shot Hagen a look.

“I’m doing what I have to do to see my niece or nephew be born… I made a promise and I intend to keep it.” She placed a hand on Hagen’s shoulder, tentative. “And if you care for the state your relationship with Faragonda is in, you’d be doing what you should too…” With that, Griffin left for her room.

She was tired, mentally anyway… Remembering… (Oh but how could she ever be lucky enough to forget…?)

And she hadn’t been sleeping well… She needed to sleep…

So she curled up on her bed, and tried her best to take a nap before dinner…


	4. Chapter Three: Partners

  1. Partners



Griffin took a breath as the water hit her skin, glad she’d managed to find time to shower before Magnethia did. (She did care for the fairy, but Maggie had… She was a lot like Faragonda… She asked too many questions… Far too many.)

She had to mentally remind herself not to scrub too hard, parts of her body still sore from the last time she had tried to scrub. (What else was she supposed to do? She could still feel him on her.)

The witch made sure the suds were gone before turning the water off, stepping into the mini-stall of the shower where she had her towel and robe.

Toweling off, she paused, feeling like Anagon had sucked the air from her again. The ankh tattoo on her chest was gone, his mark having returned. Griffin put her hand over her mouth, trying to keep from screaming.

It was back, and burning into her skin… Just as it had that day…

“Did you think you could cover _my_ mark up? I still own you.” She could hear his voice whisper behind her, his hands tugging at her towel.

She could’t stop herself from shrieking, firing a blast of energy toward him. Over and over she blast him. _He couldn’t be here. Shouldn’t be here._

The bathroom doors opened, two voices. Maggie she recognized… And a nurse. The night nurse. Shit.

“Griffin… Ms. Sylvane…” The nurse spoke, keeping her voice low. “Is everything okay?”

(Hell no it wasn’t okay. He’d been here. He… He was there. His mark was back…) Or it was… She noticed her tattoo back, covering the burn. “I… I’m fine. I just… I thought I heard something outside. That’s all.” Lie. Such a bad lie. And that waver in her voice? What was she thinking?

“Are you sure? You sound… Unnerved.” The nurse started.

“Griff… Is it something you want me to help with?” Magnethia asked. Griffin could almost picture the fairy reaching for her.

“I said I’m fine!” She snipped. “Please… Just go.” She took a breath, leaning against the stall door. “Please.”

Footsteps, the door shutting. Finally.

She closed her eyes, trying to settle her racing heart and mind, trying to find that _calm_ Faragonda kept preaching about.

(If the Ancestral Witches weren’t dead, she’d swear up and down that Lysslis was still fucking with her head… But they were dead. Dead and gone. Into Oblivion… Right?)

Griffin opened her eyes, grabbing her robe and putting it on, tying her hair back into the towel. She needed to sleep. That’s all. She needed sleep.

\--------------------------------------------------------

_Her eyes widened in fear when he finished telling her_ what _that potion did. The potion that he had forced down her throat and was now…_

_She felt warm… Far too warm… No… No. She needed to stay clear. Clear minded and… And he had her pinned between him and the wall. This was a bad idea… This was… No. No._

_“Tell me, how are you feeling about things now, Griffin?” He taunted, forcing one of his legs between hers. She swallowed, trying to stay defiant. Controlled._

_“I think I preferred Belladonna’s methods of freezing me to death.” She snipped, forcing back the groan when he kissed her._

_He pulled away, just as quickly, laughing into her skin. “You say that now… Give it a few minutes… You’ll have a different tune.”_

\------------------------------------------------------

The witch sat in the common room, trying to focus on her book before her next session with Dr. Faye. She knew the therapist, in trying to be diligent in her job, would ask about her Coven “partner”. And that…

She needed her nerves to get it together for the session. It was going to be hard enough without everything interfering…

“Griffin… I’m glad they’ve let you start using the library again.” Faragonda’s too-chipper voice greeted her, sitting down on the couch beside Griffin. “I heard from Maggie that you’re talking again…?”

The witch sighed, setting the book aside. “I’ve _been_ talking, Fara… Just to… Certain people.” She reminded the fairy, turning to face her.

Faragonda looked much better than she had a few months ago… Her eyes had their shine back, her brunette hair neatly curled, and wearing her signature blue sundress. No more bags under her eyes, the warmth back on her skin.

“Still, it’s good to hear you’re making progress. Well… You and Mags…” She gave a slight smile. “If only Hagen would follow your examples…” Griffin managed to give a small smile.

“You know how Hagen is… A vault of secrets… I’m sure he’ll start talking when he feels like it… Or he’ll break out…” Now there was a thought… She could break out… (But then she’d be a fugitive of sorts… And that would be… Risky. Too risky.)

Faragonda chuckled. “True.” She paused, noticing Griffin’s hand. Imprints of teeth were on the top of her hand, red and raw looking. “What happened, Griffin? Did you try out the therapy animals?” The fairy half-teased.

“If only.” Griffin bit her lip. “I…” She swallowed. “I’m still having the nightmares.” She admitted. Faragonda swore, extending a hand to the witch.

Griffin took it, letting the fairy give her a little squeeze. “Have you said anything to anyone?” The fairy whispered, blue eyes shining with worry. The witch pulled her hand away, looking to the floor. “Griffin… If you don’t say anything… Nothing will change. Trust me on that.”

“It’s easier said than done, Faragonda…” She heard the grandfather clock from the lobby chime and stood. “I’ve got to go… Maybe we’ll catch up later.” She whispered, making her way toward the main therapy room…

\----------------------------------------------------------------

She took her usual seat on the couch, already searching for the words she’d need for this session. (Thankfully that damned metronome was gone and silenced… She couldn’t manage that noise right now.)

Dr. Faye walked into the room, handing Griffin her notepad and pen before getting out her own. “Okay, Griffin… How are you feeling today? Because I heard that you may have had an episode last night…”

Griffin paused, the pen feeling useless in her hands. “It was just a noise I thought I heard. I keep forgetting the pipes make noise after dark.” She lied.

Faye tilted her head, obviously not buying the story. “We’ll circle back to what happened… When you feel like telling me the truth.” She looked to her notes. “So we’ll continue with where we left off on Wednesday. Tell me about your partner within the Coven.”

The witch tapped her fingers on her leg. “What do you want to know? What are you looking for in that question?” Griffin countered, wanting to be sure what Faye was wanting.

Dr. Faye gave a laugh. “I just want to know who it was… How that meeting went… Your first thoughts on them.”

Griffin swallowed. “Arrogant. Impulsive. Egotistical. Possibly a narcissist.” Griffin rattled. “I wanted to kill him on the spot because of how he handled things…” She held tighter to the pen, moving to write down the things she couldn’t find the words for…

\---------------------------FB------------------------FB--------------------------

Zatura chuckled. “So you’re a lucky witch…” the dark-haired girl half-whispered/half-giggled. “Your partner is Valtor.”

Griffin gave her friend a look. “And this makes me lucky because…?”

“Because most witches would jump at the chance to work with the Dark Dragon Flame’s keeper.” A male voice spoke from behind them.

Both witches turned to face him, Zatura grinning and waving, Griffin crossing her arms. “Hey, Valtor… This is Griffin. Griffin, meet Valtor.” Zatura introduced them. Valtor bowed, giving a little wink.

“Ladies.” He rose up. “So tell me, Griffin, are you feeling lucky?”

“I think I’d have been better off with the banshee.” Griffin looked to Zatura. “Seriously? He’s who they picked for me?”

“Griffin be nice. He’s the Dark Dragon’s keeper. Marion’s counterpart.” Zatura grinned. “And he’s one of our heavy hitters.”

The purple-haired witch rolled her eyes. “Power doesn’t matter. I mean, do you even know how to make it work? Or do you just use brute force with your flames and pray it works?”

Valtor chuckled. “Wow. We’ve not even been in the field and you’re already trying to pinpoint my weak spots.” He teased. “Though I have a feeling we’ll end up getting along just fine…”

\-------------------FB--------------------FB----------------------

“Did you end up getting along? Or was he as bad as you thought?” Dr. Faye asked. Griffin swallowed, trying to find her words, her hands cramping already from what she’d written.

“We… Got along for a while… He was charming, I can give him that… But he was still impulsive and insisted his way was best, even though it resulted in the most casualties…” She bit her lip, worrying it a bit.

“I… Wouldn’t realize until later though… That he was much worse than anything ever imagined… A true monster… Sadistic. Manipulative. And so… So angry.”

\-----------------FB---------------------FB----------------------

Griffin snarled. “If you had just listened to me, we could’ve made a clean getaway. What the hell were you thinking?” She glowered.

He crowded into her space, grabbing her neck. “Don’t question me. I know what I’m doing.” He snarled back at her, eyes reddened. Inhuman.

Griffin felt for her magic, blasting him back and into the water of Andros, trying to regain her breath.

Valtor flew out of the water, the snarl becoming a sneer. The fight between them was horrible, and it nearly had Griffin breaking her cover. Almost.

Darkar and Mandragora had shown up before it got too bad… And Valtor had them believing that they were just ‘sparring’…

And that night, he’d apologized to her, bringing her hot chocolate during the ‘movie night’ Zatura and Mandragora had imposed.

\-------------FB-----------------------FB-----------------------

Dr. Faye hummed, looking the witch over. “Tell me, since you were essentially a spy… How did you get your information to the Company?”

Simple. A simple question that she could answer. Right?

“A teleportation spell… Really all I did that first month was give them information on the members of the Coven and a bits and pieces of a map of the Obsidian castle… Just in case.” Griffin told her.

Faye gave a nod. “So… How long did things go according to plan with the Ancestral Witches? I mean…. How long did your cover go before-”

“Before it all got blown to hell?” Griffin finished for her. “About seven months… I think…” The witch pulled her knees to her chest. “I think it was that long… It was long enough that I managed to catch the eyes of the Ancestral Witches…”

“You caught their eyes? What does that mean?” Faye seemed intrigued now, leaning a bit in her seat.

Griffin pulled her notepad closer to her, ready to write. This was one of things she couldn’t just speak out about…


	5. Chapter Four: Invitations

  1. Invitations



The witch was doing just as she was told. She fought alongside Valtor, she did her training with the other members, and she stole magical items and spellbooks from the realms.

(And she did her best to warn the Company about impending attacks and the plans for the Coven’s attacks.)

Her independent research was coming along smoothly, even if she had to send bits and pieces to Salvador for safe-keeping.

Everything was going to plan. It was normal and everything was fine… Until… The day the invitation came…

“It seems you’ve caught my mothers’ eyes. Impressive, considering you’ve not been here long.” Valtor smiled, nudging her a bit.

Griffin gave a smile, looking to the invitation. They wanted her to be in their Inner Circle. They wanted to bond her to their Coven. Officially. (And had she been any other witch, she’d probably have been excited. Though if she were honest, it was exciting.)

“Seems I have.” She smirked at him. “Guess _they_ appreciate my planning and effort.” Griffin teased. Valtor rolled his eyes, leaning against the wall.

“I appreciate your planning and effort… I just happen to also appreciate spontaneity and grand gestures.” Valtor taunted back.

Griffin snickered. “Whatever you say, Drama King.” She teased, looking the invitation over. “So… how do I accept or decline? It doesn’t give instructions…”

“Simple. You show up. Though, no one ever declines joining.” Valtor walked over, standing right behind her, looking over her shoulder.

(She tried not to react to his breath on her neck. There was no need to start shit, not during a war. And not with the enemy.)

“The next time Obsidian’s three moons are full, you’ll be escorted to the ceremony room. And then you’ll be bound and you’ll be Inner Circle.” Valtor explained. “Of course, there’s the details that go into the ceremony… I’m sure Zatura and Mandragora wouldn’t mind taking you…”

Griffin frowned, turning to face him… And damn he was too close. Far too close. “Won’t mind taking me where?” She asked, confused. He laughed, leaning back against the counter.

“To find a dress for the ceremony. One that corresponds to whoever chose you.” Valtor explained.

“And that tells me absolutely nothing.” Griffin teased, crossing her arms. “What do you mean by that?”

“You know how I have those interloping symbols on my chest? The eye, the snowflake, and the lightning strike? Those are the symbols of the Ancestral Witches. It’s what appears after you take a blood bond with them. Though only one of them will take you. Not all three.” Valtor explained.

Shit. Shit. Shit. A blood bond. How the hell could she get out of this..?

“Interesting. And just which one has picked me? Because the invite didn’t say.” Griffin asked.

“You’ll find out then.” He smiled, cupping her face. “You’ll be fine. Don’t worry about it.” And just as soon as his hands had been there, they were gone and he was grabbing a bag. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m working with Darkar on a project today.”

Griffin opened her mouth to speak, but he was already gone. Dammit.

\-----------------------------FB-------------------------FB-----------------------

“So a blood bond was what initially began to make you feel wary about this whole… Espionage plan?” Dr. Faye asked. Griffin gave a slow nod.

“Blood bonds create a full bond… Mind, soul, magic… And if I had bonded with any of them… They’d have known.” Griffin couldn’t bring herself to finish her thought.

“They’d know you were spying on them for the Company of Light?” Faye finished. Griffin nodded, pulling her legs to her chest, closing her eyes tightly.

“I was… So worried about what to do. Valtor had made it clear to me that no one turned them down… And… If I turned them down… I knew I’d look even more suspicious…” The memories flashed in her mind.

_Frantically searching every database and book for ways to fake a blood bond. Trying desperately to get in touch with Faragonda and Saladin through their messaging spell. She needed to get out. Now. Before…_

“Walk me through the rest of that day… What happened after he’d left you to process this information about the Inner Circle?” Faye asked.

“I started looking up ways to fake a blood bond… At least until… Zatura and Mandragora found me in the library… They ended up doing me a favor… In that moment it was a favor anyway…” Griffin felt her fingers trumming on her leg, trying consciously to stop.

“Griffin? What happened?”

“We went to Magix.”

\--------------------------FB--------------------------FB--------------------

Griffin had a moment to herself. Her friends were under illusion spells and going to grab a bite to eat for them to take back to the castle.

(They’d found her ‘ceremony’ dress already. A simple black off-the-shoulder dress. Though neither would tell her _who_ the color corresponded to.)

She stayed near the exit, trying to stay calm… When she noticed a familiar face, Saladin.

Griffin walked over to him. “Saladin?” She whispered, dropping the illusion on her long enough for Saladin to recognize her.

“Griffin…? What’s going on? Impromptu attack on Magix?” He asked, already ready to look for a fight.

The witch shook her head. “No… Worse… They want me to join the Inner Circle. I need an out.” Griffin hissed. He frowned.

“I thought that was what we wanted…? For you to get as close as possible…?” Saladin asked, brows furrowed.

Griffin swore softly. “Saladin… It involves blood bonds… Blood bonds. Do you see what I’m saying?” She asked. Saladin swore.

“Dammit… Is there a way to fake one?”

“No. I already looked…” She bit her lip. “I have enough information, right? I could just… Leave.”

“You can, if you have a plan… Which is what you need me for, right?” Saladin asked, giving a bit of a smile. He always had a thing for being ‘needed’.

Griffin sighed. “Yeah. I need you. I need you and the others to take me down during the next attack. We’ll have to make it look good, but I think we could pull it off.”

Saladin grinned. “You got it.” He looked around, cautiously. “Now get going… We don’t need to make anyone suspicious… Especially since I’m supposed to be meeting Amelia here.” Griffin smirked.

“Good luck, Saladin… And try not to play that fairy, she’s a sweet one.” Griffin teased, walking away.

\---------------------------FB---------------------FB-----------------------

Dr. Faye gave a sigh, which made Griffin look up to her. The doctor had a look of wariness on her, eyes no longer shining. “I take it the plan you and Saladin came up with never made it to fruition?”

Griffin shook her head. “No… It didn’t.” She swallowed. “But I can’t… I don’t think I can go into that right now.” She admitted.

“You can’t anyway, our session is over.” Dr. Faye gave a little chuckle, getting to her feet. “There’s a little homework I have for you over the weekend…” She took the notepads and pens and put them in her bags.

“And what would that be?” Griffin asked, already sure she knew the answer. “Let me guess, get more comfortable with my feelings?” She half-scoffed.

Dr. Faye smiled. “Something like that. I’m starting to realize that a lot of your… that you went ‘radio silent’ as the Company put it, the day your initiation ceremony into the Inner Circle happened. And from there… You were a prisoner of war…” Griffin felt her stomach drop. How did they jump to this already?

“What I want is for you to start processing what happened there. To own what happened and to know that none of it was your fault.” Dr. Faye told her, heading for the door. “Okay?”

Griffin just gave a thumbs-up, not feeling her words at that moment.

(How dare Dr. Faye say anything about that, like she _knew_ what happened there? Griffin knew it wasn’t her fault. How could it be? It was obviously the Ancestral Witches’ fault… And Valtor’s.)

_She knew she should have known better. She never should have joined. Never should have been that trusting in her abilities. Griffin was smarter than that, she should have known how bad it would backfire._


	6. Chapter Five: The Things You Can't Escape

  1. The Things You Can’t Escape



Griffin had her glasses to the side, washing her face with a cool paper towel. It was Saturday, the main day for visitors to come by, and she needed to feel… More like herself.

(Clean. In control. Herself.)

She put her glasses back on, feeling her body tense. The mirror had glowing golden eyes shining on it. “ _Tell me the truth… What are they planning, my dear?_ ” That familiar scratchy voice asked.

Griffin swore, firing a blast of green energy into the mirror, the glass shattering all around. “ _I want the truth! Look deep into my eyes, Griffin. Tell me the truth._ ” She could still hear Lysslis’ voice echoing in her ears.

The hospital bathroom had shifted into Obsidian’s castle, the middle sister before her. For a moment, the witch could feel the heaviness of the chains on her wrists, the clawed hand of Lysslis forcing her gaze upward.

Those eyes… Golden and hypnotic, the voice almost so soothing, you wanted to trust her. “No.” Griffin kept repeating the phrase, reaching down to the floor. (To hide her eyes from Lysslis and to grab what she needed. A piece of glass from the mirror.)

Pain. Pain could stop illusions. If your mind was focused on something other than what it was seeing, the hallucination would stop. (She’d learned that the hard way over a year ago.)

She bit her lip as the glass cut into her hand, feeling relief as the castle turned back into the bathroom.

That relief was quickly diminished when she felt a hand on her wrists as one of the on-duty nurses took the glass away. She was speaking to Griffin, but the witch couldn’t make out what she was saying…

All she could hear was Lysslis and her relentless questions…

\------------------------------------------------------------------------

This was not Griffin’s week… At all.

First, there was the new therapist and her brother playing the ‘I need you home’ card to get her talking.

Then there was the actual talking… What did it even fucking matter about what happened to her? To any of them? The damned fools in the Council didn’t care. (If they’d cared, they’d have sent forces to help out on Domino… Instead they let it fall… Crumble.)

And not to mention how much worse her nightmares were becoming… (Or memories or whatever the hell anyone wanted to call them anymore…)

Now to top it all off… The hallucinations were back. With a vengeance. (And she was being forced to wear one of those stupid magic depleting bracelets… Her hand bandaged all to hell.)

She sighed, leaning back against the headboard of ‘her’ bed. Were the others having a hard time too? Or was she just… Crazier than originally thought?

The witch glowered, looking to her bandaged wrist. _Nobody will believe you._ The familiar voice echoed in her mind.

It was probably right… Who would believe that Lysslis was still messing with her from beyond the grave?

She had to be crazy… Had to be. (Great… Now she’d never get to leave Magix Mercy… No matter what she said…)

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Griffin managed not to jump this time when the knock came to her door. “Griffin? Feel like seeing your favorite brother?” She heard Salvador’s voice. Half of her wanted to quip ‘that depends, is Palladium with you?’. But instead she stood and opened the door, doing her best to force a smile.

Salvador frowned, walking in and taking a seat at her desk chair. “Griffin… I’m glad you’ve been talking to Dr. Faye. She seems awesome. But I’ve heard you had a few… Episodes…?” He gestured to her hand.

The witch glanced to the ceiling, the words just out of reach. “Episodes? They’re not episodes, Brother.” She finally snipped, walking to her bed. “I don’t know what the hell they are… But it’s not just an ‘episode’.”

“Okay… So what are you calling them?” Salvador asked. Griffin shrugged.

“I don’t know… What can I call them that doesn’t make me sound crazy?” She asked. “I mean… For the dragons’ sakes… I’m seeing Lysslis and her damned eyes again. And…” She paused. “And I’m seeing _his_ damned mark… And…” She felt the tears fall. “And it’s like… It’s happening all over again.” She whispered, pulling her legs to her chest.

Salvador got to his feet, but paused. “Can I come up there? Or do you want me to stay over here?” He asked, staying near the chair.

Griffin swallowed. “Come over?” Her brother moved over to her bed, kicking his shoes off and laying back, letting her lay on his chest.

_She’d just gotten the news from Ofelia… The positive tests. And she broke… She cursed him, the Coven, herself. Oritel, Marion. All of them. How could she have let this happen?_

_She knew better. She should have been more careful…_

_Salvador just held her and let her seethe and shake, even as she cursed him for not asserting his feelings about the matter more. (Everyone who knew Griffin knew that once her mind was made… You couldn’t change it.)_

He rubbed her back, humming the bars to the song their father loved. “I never could remember the words like you did… But I found the record and… Palladium says Morgan loves it. Gets the kid all sorts of kicking on the inside.” Salvador finally spoke, chuckling a bit.

Griffin managed a small smile. “How are they? Morgan and Palladium?”

“Palladium still has a touch of morning sickness, despite being half-way there… And Morgan is… Definitely going to be one of us… He or she has been giving my poor elf a hard time…” Salvador grinned. “Kicking at all hours, first too hot, then too cold. Can’t stomach some of his former favorite foods.”

“Sounds like if you two want another, you’ll be the one carrying.” Griffin half-teased, nudging at her brother.

He snorted. “I think we’ll settle for just the one. That way it’ll be easier to spoil them.” He looked to his sister. “You know, you’re not crazy… Right?” His voice lost its playful tone.

Griffin moved so her eyes wouldn’t meet his. “Griffin. You’re not crazy. You’re just trying to make sense of everything that happened. You saw worse shit than most of us did… It’s amazing your still breathing.” Salvador reminded her. “And if you’d come from that without any sort of hang-ups… I’d start having to believe Erendor when he called you a sociopath.”

 _Erendor had somehow found out about the pregnancy and had demanded to know what Griffin had told the Coven about them. Had demanded if she let her ‘feelings’ for_ him _to disrupt the mission._

_That was the first of her outbursts. And the first she’d said the truth out-loud instead of in ‘yes or no’ form._

_He’d left her alone after that, and issued an apology by ice cream. (She took it to show “good faith”, but she never worked with him again. She couldn’t bring herself to be around someone who blamed her, more than she already did, for what happened.)_

“Salvador… I’m still seeing them… I thought time was supposed to make it go away…?” She whispered, closing her eyes.

“Yeah… It’s supposed to heal all wounds… But… Sometimes they need help…” He kissed the top of her head. “They started coming back worse because you started talking, right? To Faye?”

Griffin opened her eyes and rose up, giving him a look. “Yeah…”

“Same thing happened with most of us. See, not talking and letting it fester inside can make it go away for a time… But you can’t let it fester. You have to let it out… And once you let it out… It’s bad for a bit… But then it’s better because others know more about what’s really going on.” Salvador frowned. “Or something like that.”

The witch couldn’t stop herself from laughing, even if her mirth wasn’t in it. “Please tell me you’re not taking psych classes… Because I’m not sure they’re working.”

Salvador rolled his eyes. “I’m only learning what I have to so when you come home, I can better help you out.” He snorted. “But of course, my efforts will be wasted because you’re a bitch.”

She snorted, shoving him a bit. “You’re just now figuring that out?” She teased, leaning back. Salvador smiled, moving to ruffle her hair.

“Hey!”

“There’s my sister.” He grinned. “You know… I bet I could get a day pass and we could go to this new place Palladium is obsessed with… The White Horse…? Or I could go and see if I can bring some in. They have milkshakes almost as good as Jinxes.” Salvador grinned. “You interested?”

Griffin paused. She hadn’t been able to indulge her sweet tooth in months… And a milkshake did sound good. “I don’t know… Sounds blasphemous to compare anything to Jinxes’ milkshakes.” She teased, giving a smile. “But… If you can smuggle me one… I’m feeling chocolate.”

Salvador grinned. “Deal.”


	7. Chapter Six: The Beginning of the End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Suicide Warning in the chapter...

  1. Beginning of the End



Dr. Faye gave Griffin a look as she took her seat, getting their notepads and pens out. “I heard you had an outburst over the weekend. What happened there?” She asked, dark eyes trying to hold to Griffin’s amber ones.

The witch swallowed. (There were two options… Lie, like last time… Or tell the truth… Neither had good outcomes…) “It’s nothing. I’m fine, that’s what matters, right?” She settled for deflection. (Dammit. Now Salvador had her speaking ‘psych’.)

“Griffin, you cut your own hand. The nurse that was on-duty, Mal, said you were nearly inconsolable. Last time you hurt yourself, I let it slide, but now… No more bullshit. What happened?” Dr. Faye’s voice actually shifted… Like she was… Truly concerned.

The purple-haired witch sighed, bringing her knees to her chest. “You’ll just think I’m crazy… Hell… _I_ think I’m crazy.”

“I need to know what happened, Griffin. Hurting yourself isn’t… It’s not an answer to anything. And if something is bothering you that badly, I need to know what it is so it can be changed.” Faye wasn’t going to let it drop. Dammit.

Griffin pushed her glasses up, trying to find the words. “I saw Lysslis in the mirror. I panicked. And I fired a blast.” She admitted, her fingers beginning to tap at her leg.

“Lysslis is dead, Griffin. Everyone on the Company confirmed that.” Dr. Faye reminded her. “She can’t hurt you now.” Griffin gave a breathless laugh, shaking her head.

“Of course you say that… You don’t get it.” Griffin felt her body tense, just remembering how Lysslis was. “She may not have been the leader of the Ancestral Witches, but she was the most terrifying of them.”

“She was sadistic, manic. There was nothing she enjoyed more than tormenting others. Her powers over delusions and hallucinations are unmatched to this day. She could make anything seem real or fake depending on her mood.” Griffin swallowed.

“Hell, she’d make you beg for Belladonna or Tharma to just hurry up and end it because it would get so bad.” The witch paused, feeling her body shaking. “Have you ever taken what was supposed to be a fast acting poison and it just last for hours and hours on end? Lysslis could do that. Do you fear burning alive? Your body won’t really be on fire, but damn if you don’t feel the heat and the sting of the burns.”

“Have a thing about bugs? Congratulations, she could make you feel them crawling under your skin.” Griffin wiped at her eyes, feeling a bit ashamed at how wet they were. (It was over now, right? Why did it still bother her so?)

Faye moved slowly in front of the witch, handing her a box of tissues. “Sounds like Lysslis was the most terrifying of the trio… What did she make you see on Saturday that had you panicking?”

Griffin had the tissue box, taking a few out to attempt to dry her eyes. “I was back on Obsidian… And she was trying to force the truth out of me about the Company of Light… I thought breaking the mirror would stop the… Illusion. But it didn’t… So I did the tried and true method…”

“You cut your hand?” Faye asked, gesturing to Griffin’s bandaged hand. The witch gave a slow nod.

“The only way I found to break out of her hold was pain. If your mind had something to focus on besides whatever shit she was spewing to twist you around, you could withstand it… I found out by accident when I was training with them and accidentally cut my hand on a sword…” Griffin swallowed.

“In the dungeons I managed to keep from biting my nails… So when Lysslis would attempt to manipulate me… I could just dig my nails in and… And it wouldn’t be as strong.”

Faye seemed shocked. Griffin wanted to quip at her about asking questions again, to see if she’d finally found an answer she didn’t want to know. (And if she had been the same witch she was a year or two ago, she would have…)

“How… Dangerous was Lysslis? Compared to her sisters?” Griffin scoffed, shaking her head.

“Belladonna and Tharma were considered mercy killers. Sure, freezing to death or being electrocuted would hurt like hell while you died, but at least was quick. Lysslis liked to torment her prisoners… Bring them to the brink of insanity, have them question whether up was down or left was right… But once she was done with them…. She’d have them take their own lives… She never did want her hands dirty…” Griffin closed her eyes tightly, still seeing the elf woman’s face.

_She’d been a prisoner, brought in by Kalshara and Brafillious. A proud elfin warrior with long black hair and bright green eyes. She was defiant… Angry… Up until Lysslis had her for a month._

_She’d been turned into a babbling mess, shaking and quaking at every noise. And then it’d come. Lysslis had them all gather as she cast one last illusion over the elf._

_The warrior had thought she was escaping and that all she had to do to escape was kill the enemy… She seemed to have a clear shot, but instead of slitting the throat of one of the Ancestral Witches… It was her own._

_Griffin hadn’t been able to sleep for weeks after that, still seeing that elf’s eyes as she realized what happened._

“That’s…” Faye seemed to stutter, for once out of words of her own. “And no one stopped her? Not her sisters, or any of her ‘covenmates’?” Griffin gave another breathless laugh, shaking her head.

“No one was stupid enough to stand up to them. Not directly. Besides, Lysslis was considered an entertainer by her sisters. They took so much enjoyment from the torment of others…” She paused. “I… I actually had a running theory with Marion that they fed off the misery of others, so they tried to inflict as much as possible… More misery… More power.”

“Did you ever test that theory…?” Faye asked. Griffin shook her head, pushing back her violet locks.

“I didn’t have too… Just observing them from one ‘victory’ to the next… You could tell when their power spiked.” The witch bit her lip. “It’s amazing we had a chance against them at all…”

Faye gave a nod in agreement. “But you did. Together, the Company of Light destroyed them… Well… Destroyed their bodies… You can never destroy the memories you all have of them though…” Faye shifted a bit in her seat.

“Which is why I’d like to ask to delve into the night you were caught… I can’t erase the memories, but I can help you work through them. And from what I can see,” she again gestured to Griffin’s bandaged hand, “you need to work through them before they consume you.”

Griffin grabbed her notepad, trying to think of where to start…

\-----------------FB------------------------FB-----------------------

She was finishing up a letter to Saladin and Faragonda, detailing the attack plan that had been made against Solaria. With a wave of her hand, she had it sent off to the Fortress of Light, and to the Company.

With that done, she could start to focus on getting a little sleep-

_Bang. Bang. Bang._

Griffin glowered, going to answer her door. Zatura and Mandragora were both grinning as they let themselves in passed Griffin. “What the hell is going on?” Griffin asked. “We have an attack tomorrow… We should be getting rest.” She hissed.

Zatura chuckled. “Griffin, have not noticed the sky tonight?” Zatura asked, twirling around a bit. Her long curly hair had been braided back and she wore a white dress, her snowflake mark showing.

Mandragora’s untamable blue hair had been straightened and braided as well, a purple dress flowing over her slight frame, revealing her eye mark.

Griffin frowned. “Please tell me there’s not some dance thing you’re going to try and drag me too for ‘team bonding’. I’m serious about tomorrow. Solaria is going to be difficult to break unless we’re in top form.”

Mandragora chuckled, placing a hand on Griffin’s shoulder. “Griffin… The attack can wait… Your initiation into the Inner Circle, can’t.” Griffin felt her heart sink.

(It couldn’t be time… She’d checked every astrological sign and every lunar event calendar. Obsidian wasn’t due for a triple full moon until next month.)

“I thought that wasn’t until next month?” Griffin tried to keep her cool, tilting her head. “I mean… It’d make more sense and give time for preparation… Not to mention it’s not a triple full moon tonight.”

Zatura took her by the hand and opened her curtain. “Then what are those?” Zatura asked, gesturing to the moons.

All three were full. The sky cloudless, as if it didn’t want to cast doubt. “That’s… Great. But I’m not ready…” Griffin tried a different approach.

“Which is why we came to remind you. We saw how you were poring over all the details of the Solarian strike and figured you’d lose track of everything. So here we are.” Zatura grinned.

“And there’s the dress.” Mandragora waved her arms. “Do you need help braiding your hair or do you think you could do it on your own?” She turned to Zatura. “Should one of us stay and lead her to the ceremony room?”

“I don’t know… I don’t remember if I showed her how to get there or not…” Zatura hummed. Griffin took a deep breath.

“Ladies… How about you give me time to breathe and get dressed and you go help set up or whatever it is you’re supposed to do during this time… And when I need to find the ceremony room, I’ll summon for you?” Griffin asked.

Zatura grinned. “Just remember, midnight sharp.”

“The Mistresses don’t like being kept waiting.” Mandragora warned. Griffin nodded.

“I know. Now please. Shoo.” She gestured for them to leave, relief finally settling in once they were gone.

(Now how to get out of the castle and into Magix without getting seen…)

\----------------------------------------------------------

Griffin crept down the halls of the palace, feeling more and more relieved as she got closer to the foyer and the doors.

She just had a few more steps and she was home free. And then she’d tell the others what she knew and she could put the rest of it all behind her…

“Going somewhere?” A familiar voice taunted from behind her. Valtor. Dammit. She was sooo close.

“Just needed some air… I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling the pressure already and it’s starting to get to me.” Griffin lied, turning to face Valtor. “Don’t you feel it too?” She asked.

“I feel like I’m being lied too. And we both know how I feel about that.” Valtor crossed his arms, taking a step toward her. “Aren’t you supposed to be getting ready for your initiation? I mean, you still want to be one of us, right?” He asked.

Griffin scoffed, putting her hands up. “Of course I do. I just needed some air. I… I can’t stop thinking about Solaria though… I just feel like something’s going to go wrong and I need to think the plans through. Surely you can understand that?”

“I could, if it were the truth. And if you weren’t about to leave for the Company of Light.” Valtor leaned against one of the pillars. “That is who you’re headed for, right?” He tilted his head, amused.

The witch glowered. “That’s an insult to-”

“How is the truth insulting?” He stood to his full height, moving toward her. “We’re not fools, Griffin. I saw how you reacted to being chosen. No one ever mentions declining my mothers. But you did. And then in Magix, Zatura saw you talking to Saladin…”

“So I started to do some thinking.”

“You did some thinking? And here I thought you preferred the brute force approach.” Griffin half-teased, crossing her arms.

Valtor gave that smile, the one that normally made her blood run cold. “I started to notice how the Company seemed to know where we’d be and who to send to fight us. I noticed how any ‘dirt’ you gave us on the members were things we’d already known or suspected… And now I’ve caught you leaving. A spy in our midst.”

Griffin swallowed. She could continue to deny it, or she could just fight and run. (She’d taken Valtor before. She knew she could win… And if she beat him… She could leave.)

“So you think you’ve got it all figured out…? Do you feel certain with your conclusion, Sherlock?” Griffin quipped, opening her palms, feeling the energy of Obsidian surround her.

“I’m seldom wrong, Watson.” He quipped back, giving a whistle.

Griffin frowned until she felt arms tight around her shoulders. She couldn’t feel the energy around her anymore, she felt so weak. (Ogron… he told Ogron…)

She struggled against him, trying to reach for the knife she knew Ogron kept on him. “Sorry, Griffin… But I tossed the knife for this.” Ogron spoke behind her, squeezing her shoulders tighter.

Darkar materialized by Valtor, his eyes shining red under his helmet. “I’ll alert the Mistresses that your hunch was right and that they can drop the illusion in the sky.”

_Illusion in the…_

“You set me up.” Griffin growled, using what strength she had to raise her head. “You set me up?”

Valtor smirked. “I had to see if my hunch was correct. Got to say… I never hoped so hard to be wrong… I was so hoping to take the blood bond with you… But somethings just aren’t meant to be it seems.” He walked over to her, clasping a bracelet to her arm.

“Remember the witch hunters on Zenith that we took down?” He tapped the bracelet. “I took this little trinket from them… Just in case… You see, this nice piece of Isis craftsmanship severs a witch’s connection to her powers. You’re done.”

Griffin did her best to keep a straight face, glaring up at Valtor. (Do not show fear. Do not waver.) “We’ll see about that. Won’t we?”

Valtor chuckled. “I’ll take her from here, Ogron… I’m sure Kalshara and her brother have a cell waiting and ready.”

“And then the fun begins.” Ogron shoved Griffin into Valtor, giving a laugh. “Oh I do love a good interrogation.”

\------------------FB------------------------FB--------------------------

“Interrogation? That’s what they called it?” Faye asked, frowning. Griffin licked her lip, looking toward the ceiling.

“They had their… Twisted sense of justice. And in their eyes, I had wronged them in the worst way… So I was to be made an example of…. I got to rest that night in a cell… No incidents other than the snide remarks from Kalshara…” Griffin swallowed. “At least… Not until the morning.”

“And Kalshara was…?”

“A fairy… Formerly… And she was once a good friend to Faragonda and the others…. Until she heard of an Ultimate Power source hidden away by fairy animals… And the Ancestral Witches promised to help her and her brother find it…” Griffin sighed. “Of course, their help came with a price.”

“To assist in their war?” Faye asked. Griffin nodded.

“And for Kalshara to cut her wings and be something… Better. Scarier.” Griffin swallowed. “They turned her and her brother into some animal/transfiguration disasters.”

“And they were your guards at the cell?” Faye asked. Clarification at its finest.

“Yes. But like I said, other than the snide remarks, it wasn’t bad that first night… My powers were gone and my pride had been a little crushed… But I was fine…”

Faye put her hand up, a gesture to pause. “Our time is up for the day… But I’m proud of the progress we’ve made, Griffin.”

Griffin shrugged, handing her notepad and pen back. “If you can call it that…”

“It is… You actually spoke more than you wrote… And you opened up about Lysslis… This is tremendous.” Faye grinned. “I’m proud. I can’t wait to see you Wednesday.” Grifin sighed.

“You say that now…” She stood, stretching a bit. “But you’ll change your tune… Everyone does…” The last sentence came out softer than she’d intended… But it was true… No one _really_ wanted to know… Not really.

_Ofelia had been alarmed at the state she was in when Faragonda and her raiding party brought her back to the Fortress._

_She knew she wasn’t in a good state… She was still trembling and worried about Salvador… (No one had mentioned if he was even okay or if they’d found him…)_

_The doctor had had to use a sedation spell to calm her down enough for a ‘preliminary exam’, and had asked so many questions. “Where did you get this mark?” “Is this frostbite?” “How did your ribs get broke?” “Were you assaulted?”_

_And Griffin couldn’t keep from answering, not with the sedation spell in place keeping her… (The word was loopy but it sounds so ridiculous, too ridiculous to be true for a witch…)_

_She may not remember most of their conversation in that moment, but she did remember how Ofelia’s demeanor seemed to change… How she went from being a no-nonsense medic to handling her with kid-gloves. How the stern glare she used to get the truth out of her patients seemed to turn into soft glances when she was around._

_Like she was apologizing… Like she’d learned something she shouldn’t have…_

_And it got worse after they brought in Mandragora… After that blood test was run… After the positive test results came back…_

_They all acted like that after the truth came out… Acting like she’d break. (And okay… So maybe she would… She wasn’t… It wasn’t a good time… But still… It made it so much worse.)_


	8. Chapter Seven: The Council Did What?

  1. The Council Did What?



Magnethia was flipping through the channels on the common room’s tv, frowning a bit. “Why is there never a good trivia show or documentary on? It’s always some romance movie or a police procedural.” She complained, huffing and leaning back on the couch.

Griffin shook her head, pulling her legs up to prop her book on. “Lost faith in the police force, Maggie?” She half-teased, feeling her mouth twitch up into a smile.

The fairy sighed. “Well, considering what we’ve been through…? Yeah. I mean… If the police were actually any help at all, the Ancestral Coven never would have gotten as big as it did… Right?”

“I think it has to do with those bastards in the Council too… If they hadn’t been so… Against dark magic or so rooted in their biases toward dark magic users… The Coven never would have found so many angry minds to corrupt.” Griffin skimmed the pages, trying to refind her place.

Magnethia frowned. “True… I guess we should have tried harder in high school to help you and Ediltrude and Zarathustra out… huh?” She gave a slight smile, blue eyes shining bright. Griffin gave a shrug and a slight smile.

“I don’t know what good it would have done… All that would have happened is getting yourselves blacklisted too… Besides… I was a known trouble-maker… Remember? Even if that last riot was _not_ my fault.” The witch teased.

Magnethia laughed, a little fluttering sort of chuckle. “Niobe apologized profusely to you after you got out of holding… She just got excited about her first protest.”

“And she got me arrested. My brother had to bail me out… Do you have any idea how embarrassing that was? Not to mention the lecture my mother gave me, after Headmistress Lenora tore into me…” Griffin shook her head, fighting the laugh. “I was so pissed…”

“Yeah, we know. Remember how you and the others got revenge? You totally trashed our fairy animals’ routine by scaring Faragonda’s digmole, starting that whole chain of events that ended with Niobe getting carried away by a rabbi-con.” Magnethia shook her head, still laughing. “Headmistress Mavilla was soooo pissed.”

The women couldn’t help but keep on that point, trading the stories of their prank war in school. (A good, much needed break for Griffin. She needed the laugh after having been sleepless all night, that sickening feeling still in the pit of her stomach. Like something bad was going to happen.)

\------------------------------------------------------------------

The search for a good television show had come to halt when Magnethia had discovered a vial of green nail polish. She’d just finished her hands, giving Griffin her best puppy pout. “Come on… It’ll help you quit biting your nails… And, everything about us right now is wayyy too white thanks to these uniforms… We should add a splash of color.”

Griffin shot the fairy a look. “Don’t you tend to leave that sort of thing to Princ-I mean Queen Luna? She was the one who… How did Fara put it..? Keep you all looking fantastic?” Griffin let her voice pitch a bit, a near-perfect mimic of Faragonda’s voice. Magnethia frowned.

“Yes… But Luna was one of the first to leave… And none of the others are here… So that leaves you and Hagen… And I highly doubt Hagen will let me paint his nails.” The fairy paused. “Of course… He did dress in drag that one time… The stakeout at Lunaris?” Magnethia grinned. “Now that was a day.”

The witch frowned. “I don’t recall a stakeout at Lunaris… When did that happen?” Magnethia swore.

“Right…. That was when….” The fairy trailed off, and Griffin got the point. It was during her radio silence, when she was held at Obsidian.

“Tell me what I missed. I could use a good laugh.” Griffin told her, moving a bit on the couch to get comfortable. (Magnethia tended to get long-winded into stories, her body shaking and hands always moving as she got more and more excited.)

The fairy lit up, hopping up beside Griffin to start up her story, her grin never leaving her face.

\------------------------------------------------------

Hagen frowned at the two women when he’d walked out of his mandatory session (another failed one if the slamming of doors was anything to go by). “What’s got you two in such a good mood?” He snipped, looking between the two.

“I told Griffin about the Lunaris stakeout… Heidi.” Magnethia snickered, leaning back on the couch. Griffin gave a playful smile to Hagen.

“Never knew you to be such a hero, taking one for the team like that.” She teased, pulling her legs up so he could join them. “Of course, I still need to see the photo as proof.”

Hagen snorted, sitting on the other end of the couch. “Like hell you will. I had those burned, singed, and sent away.” He paused. “And anyway, it was between me and Radius, and I look far better in a dress than he does. He doesn’t have the legs.” He winked to them, giving a grin.

Both women started laughing again, a new image conjuring up between them of newly-crowned King Radius in a dress. Oh what would his people think?

“Hey… Hold up… What’s goin’ on there?” Hagen suddenly hushed them, moving for the remote to turn the volume up.

Councilmen Yeerka and Givelian were giving a press conference in Magix, about the war. “I thought they couldn’t do that without all of us being present?” Magnethia whispered. “And where’s the Head Councilman?”

“Shh.” Hagen glowered. “I don’t want to miss this.”

Griffin glared, feeling her anger seethe. “I don’t either.”

_“So what decision has the Council come to in regards to the Great War of Magic?” One of the reporters asked._

_“We understand that it is the greatest war any of us have borne witness to. And that the loss of life during this war was great. Two planets are now dead for Dragon’s Sakes.” Councilman Yeerka started._

_“Of course… We blame the Ancestral Coven for actions we had to take. They attempted treason and tried to not only overthrow the council, but attempted to destroy the entire magical dimension so they could remake it in their image.” Councilman Givelian continued._

_Yeerka gave a sigh. “But we can’t fully blame the witches either… They were driven mad by their dark power, and it corrupted them…”_

_“Not to mention the actions that were taken by King Oritel and Queen Marion of Domino, may they rest in peace. They formed an interdimensional army of their own without consulting us, forcing our hand into allowing them to engage in this battle… And now not only have they perished, but they doomed their world instead.”_

_“Are you saying you_ blame _the late King and Queen of Domino?”_

 _“We’re saying they forced our hands and that their actions did lead to some of the more… Severe consequences of the war._ ”

Hagen growled, tossing the remote into the television, breaking it. “Those bastards! How can they blame Oritel and Marion?!” He seethed. “They only did what they were too dragon-damned scared to do!”

Griffin shook her head, fingers scratching at the bracelet she still had to wear, wishing it off. “They have no fucking idea what happened out there. I _never_ saw any of them on the front lines, putting their lives at risk.” She growled.

“We can’t let them get away with this! Surely the others don’t know? Do they? Because I’m sure if they did…” Magnethia snarled, her body beginning to glow, like she may transform.

“I don’t know. But I’m sure as hell going to find out.” Hagen growled, looking to the women. “Coming with?”

“Right behind you.” Griffin sneered, getting to her feet. Magnethia stood, her face contorted into a scowl.

“Let’s see if we can get some answers.”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------

The staff were no help whatsoever. (Of course they weren’t… They weren’t in the political world and they were only following orders…)

But they did allow for the three of them to make a few phone calls…

“They did what?!” Salvador swore over the phone, a lilt in his voice. (Oh he was definitely pissed. Good. He needed to be. They all needed to be.)

“They’re trying to pin the blame on the Ancestral Witches and Oritel and Marion. Which as we know, is only partially true.” Griffin repeated. “Of course, what they’re really trying to do is cover their own asses.”

“Griffin…. I didn’t agree with Oritel on how he handled a lot of things that happened out there… But he did a whole lot more than those bastards in the Council ever did… And he paid the ultimate price for it. How can they…?” Salvador growled. “What do we need to do?”

“Protest? I don’t….” the witch sighed, sinking down onto the floor, cradling the phone. “I don’t know… Unless.” She paused. “Salvador… You need to get with Electronio and the other members of the Company of Light. Do your own press conference. Tell the truth.”

“And if they try to dispute what we’re saying? I mean… They’re the Council, Griffin… They’re damn near untouchable.”

“No they’re not. Electronio can still hack into… Into all the surveillance systems, right? See if he can find anything damning on the Council to use as proof for your conference.” Griffin told him.

“Okay… But it still won’t fix the damage done.”

“But it is a start.” Griffin reminded him. “And Salvador… My research is still intact, right?” Griffin asked. “Because I’m going to need you to publish it as my proxy. And make sure it goes everywhere, before the council can attempt to redact anything.”

She could hear him laugh on the phone. “You’re out for blood. That’s good. That’s the Little Sister I remember. Angry and full of fury. Just as you need to be.” Salvador half-teased. “Don’t worry… I’ll do the best I can so we can undermine them. Maybe get Faragonda to help.”

“You do that.” Griffin smiled, feeling a bit better. “We can’t let them get away with this anymore, Salvador… We have to make them pay.”

“And we will…” Her brother paused. “I think Mags and Hagen have been on the phones too… I’m seeing Rhodos and Alyssa coming up the road, with Electronio and Saladin… And they do _not_ look happy.”

“Good luck.” Griffin hung up, taking a breath.

The war may have been over, but the revolution was just starting. (No one still alive in the Company would ever allow those bastards to smear Oritel and Marion’s name. No one.)


	9. Chapter Eight: Consequences

  1. Consequences



“I heard you and your friends got a little… Upset yesterday. That the three of you are now on watch and have to wear magic depletion bracelets… What happened?” Dr. Faye asked, leaning back in her chair.

Griffin snorted, crossing her arms, the scowl coming to her features. “Those bastards in the Council are trying to blame what happened on Oritel and Marion, which is a damned lie.” The witch snarled. (She was still pissed about it, every part of her wanting to re-storm down to their offices and force a truth potion down their throats.)

Faye’s eyes seemed to shift a bit, uncertainty behind them. “You _think_ they’re lying about what happened?” Griffin shook her head.

“I _know_ they are. You forget, I lived the war. We asked the Council for help, over and over again. But they didn’t get involved, said it wasn’t _their_ fight. As if the entirety of the realms don’t depend on them.” Griffin argued.

The doctor sighed, actually seeming to be… Resigned about something. (She was under their employment… But did she _even_ trust them?) “I figured as much… The Company aren’t going to let this go, are they?”

“No. The realms deserve to know the truth about their _fearless leaders_ , that the truth is they’re a bunch of damned cowards who don’t know a thing about what happened.” Griffin swallowed. “They never served, they didn’t see the destruction or the personal tolls. They didn’t have sleepless nights or fight for their lives.”

“No. They stayed in their council room, and they hid.” Griffin snapped. A sharp pain in her hand made her loosen her grip. (Damn… She’d clenched her fists too hard, she’d messed up her cut hand again.)

Dr. Faye stood, moving slowly and deliberately through the room until she pulled out a box. “I’m going to help re-bandage your hand. Okay?” She looked to the witch, showing the box was a first aid kit.

Griffin sighed, giving a nod and holding her bandaged hand out. Dr. Faye came over, undoing the old bandages to rewrap the new ones. “There we go… Seems you have a lot of feelings about the Council… That don’t stem just from the war…?” The witch snorted.

“That a question or an observation, Doc?” She half-joked, watching as the darker woman went back to her seat.

“A question. Have you always felt animosity toward the Council?” Dr. Faye asked, her voice slipping back into that ‘professional’ tone.

Griffin paused, pulling her legs up on the couch. “Maybe not always… But when I started noticing their biases toward people like me… People with dark magic… I started to feel angry. I mean, no one chooses their powers or the source of their magic… We don’t decide any of that…”

“But we can decide how we _use_ our magic. And with the way the Council treated us… Hell, the way they still treat us… It’s no wonder so many dark magic users fell under the sway of the Ancestral Witches. If you treat someone like they’re a criminal long enough, they’ll decide to _show you_ what a criminal looks like.” Griffin swallowed, pushing her glasses up.

“And now I sound fanatical.” She groaned, putting her head in her hands.

“You sound like someone who wants change, and there’s nothing wrong with that.” Dr. Faye let her voice pitch a bit, more comforting. “Just like there’s nothing wrong with being angry with the Council for ignoring the complications that _you_ and the Company faced, things no one else in the realms know about.”

“Not yet anyway…” Griffin raised her head up. “Word got out to the other members of the Company… The Council’s opened a can of worms they can’t sweet-talk their way out of.”

Faye actually gave a little smile at that. “Good. It means they’ll get what’s coming to them. The backlash from this could be the wake-up call they need.” She moved to sit a little straighter, grabbing the notepads and pens.

“Now, I have a feeling you don’t feel like delving into this… But we do need to get back on track if we want to get you out of here before you’re an aunt.” Faye sat Griffin’s closer to her on the table. “Where do you want to start with your time in the dungeons of Obsidian?”

Griffin paused, remembering _why_ she was there. (She’d been so fired up about the Council, so focused on fixing what they destroyed… She’d managed to escape from _them_ , if just for a little while.)

_The Wizards of the Black Circle got to try their hands first, the first to try and break her for their Mistresses. Anagan with his power over air, Ogron with his ability to keep her drained, Gantlos with his sonic booms that could rival Matlin’s, and Duman the shapeshifter…_

“The beginning, I suppose… I got one night of reprieve, the first night I was in there… I guess they needed to form a strategy to get me to talk…?” She gave a bit of a smile, the one her brother would scold her for using. (“ _That’s not my little sister… What have you done with her?_ ”)

“So who started the, using the term you gave me, interrogation process?” Faye asked.

“The Wizards of the Black Circle… Anagan, Duman, Gantlos, and Orgon, their leader… They were tried and true with breaking down fairies…” She gave a breathless laugh. “I guess they figured if I was going to help the Company of Light, I had to be in a similar moral bracket…”

\----------------------FB-----------------FB------------

Griffin was up early, pacing the floor of her cell, looking for weaknesses in the structure. (She had no magic, no weapons, and no allies within the Coven. The bars were steel and reinforced with magic. There were no windows. No cracks. And only one door. And it was locked and reinforced by magic.)

She sat down on the cell’s bed, trying to come up with something. Anything. There _had_ to be a way out.

Footsteps had her tensing up, subconsciously feeling for her magic. (Magic that never activated, never stirred. Shit.)

Her cell door swung up, clacking hard against the brick as the Wizards of the Black Circle walked in. She tensed further, clenching her hands into fists.

(Normally their presence didn’t bother her… But without her magic and with the predatory looks they were giving her…? She was witch enough to admit she was worried.)

“Don’t the four of you have some poor fairy to antagonize?” She snarked at them, keeping her façade up. (Men like them didn’t need to sense weakness. That would just make everything worse.)

Orgon gave a dark chuckle. “Oh, Griffin… We’re here on behalf of our Mistresses… You know, the ones you’ve been betraying to the Company of Light?” He crossed his arms. “You really hurt their feelings, they were so looking forward to you joining us.”

Griffin snorted. “And here I thought you had to _have_ feelings before they could get hurt. You learn something new every day.”

That actually had Duman laughing until Gantlos smacked the back of his head. “Don’t encourage her, you idiot.” The blonde snapped. Duman rubbed his head, frowning.

“I can’t help it if she’s got our witches pegged… Can I?” He asked. (Duman… Duman was her chance.)

“At least one of you isn’t delusional.” Griffin grinned, looking to Duman. “He knows I speak the truth.”

“Oh really? So was it the truth when you came here to help us take down the Company of Light? Because I’m fairly certain that was a lie.” Ogron reminded her. Griffin shrugged.

“Sue me. I’m a witch. I speak in half-truths and riddles.” She stood, crossing her arms. “You know, you never did give a straight answer as to what you’re doing here... Isn’t it protocol to just… I don’t know… Leave me to stew and worry until the Ancestral Witches decide to kill me?”

Gantlos smirked, taking his hat off and setting it aside. “Oh you’re not going to be killed for a while… You see, we got to know what you’ve told those candy asses at the Company of Light… And then, if you’re a good witch and tell us everything, you’ll get to die quickly.” He chuckled.

Griffin shook her head. “Hmm… What _did_ I tell the Company? Do you want specifics or generalizations? I said a lot of things.”

\---------------------FB----------------------------FB-------------------

“Seems like you had a trick up your sleeve. From what I’ve been told, you were great at strategizing, but pretty good with improvising if need be.” Dr. Faye praised. Griffin gave a little shrug.

“I just knew the Wizards… I’d worked with them a few times… All four of them had egos and with just the right words or phrases, you could turn them against one another.” She gave a slight smile. “I managed to get the four of them arguing long enough for me to slip out the door…” She paused, the smile dropping.

Dr. Faye frowned a bit. “Didn’t get far, did you?”

“No. Apparently, the Ancestral Witches wanted to be part of the… Interrogation process… They caught me leaving and… It didn’t go well.”


	10. Chapter Nine: Torture in the First Degree

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Be warned, this chapter and the next will contain torture and violence.

  1. Torture in the First Degree



Griffin kept moving among the maze of cells, edging closer and closer toward the back exit. (She just needed to get out and find a teleporter… She’d be home free and-)

The air around her chilled significantly, her glasses fogging over and her breath becoming visible. Only one person could make the world chill so quickly. Belladonna…

Shit. Shit. Shit.

She started to run, weaving among the suits of armor until a bolt of lightning hit just ahead of her, taking a new form.

A greyed witch with frizzled hair and golden eyes stood before her, right where the lightning had struck. Tharma. “Have we not been hospitable enough? You’re leaving without even a goodbye?” The witch taunted.

Griffin bit her lip, moving to turn quickly, only to find herself surrounded. Two more greyed witches stood before her, one with a cloak and long white hair, the other with long hair and a magnetic pull to her.

“I was just heading back to my cell…” She lied, trying not to make things worse.

Lysslis moved in front of her, grabbing her wrist. “Oh, but that’s not the truth, is it Griffin? Tell me… Just what were you planning?” Her voice was soft, melodic… And her eyes… Griffin forced her gaze away, tugging at her wrist, digging her nails into her palm.

“Let. Me. Go.” She kept her voice low and clear, hoping to keep herself leveled.

Belladonna shook her head, looking to her sisters. “I think she actually believes she has a chance in hell, here. Poor delusional witchling.” Belladonna cackled, as Lysslis forced Griffin closer to the eldest sister, the chill becoming a full-on freeze.

“Don’t you realize, my Dear? The only way you’re leaving Obsidian is through the grave.” Lysslis murmured in her ear. “Now… Why don’t we walk back to your cell and see how you managed to escape.”

Tharma growled. “I told you we shouldn’t have sent the Black Circle ahead of us. You never send a wizard to do a witches’ job. They’re unreliable.” The youngest snipped.

Footsteps could be heard running through the cell ways, coming to a quick halt. Ogron and the others. “Mistresses… We… Were just looking for our prisoner.” Ogron gave a nervous smile, gesturing to Griffin.

“Yeah… We wanted to give her a false hope of escaping and we were just about to bring her back in.” Duman shifted out of his bird form, back into his human self.

Belladonna glowered at them, waving her hand. All four fell to their knees, skin becoming blue from the cold. Griffin had to put her hand over her mouth to keep from reacting, watching as the four wizards cried out about the chilled blood within them.

“You four idiots nearly let her get away! What did she do? She couldn’t have spelled the four of you. She doesn’t have her damned powers. So all I can think of is you let her sweet-talk you! Or worse, she turned you against each other.” Belladonna shrieked at them, waving her hand again.

Their color started to return to them, all four still shaking from the cold. “Sorry, Mistress Belladonna… It will not happen again.” Ogron apologized, his voice stuttering from the chill.

“No it won’t. Because if it does, I’ll turn you into ice sculptures. Make an example out of _all_ of you.”

\----------------FB--------------------FB---------------------

Faye swore softly. “She did that… To her own soldiers?” Griffin gave a slow nod, biting at her lip.

“Belladonna was a perfectionist. You either did it right, or you paid a price. There was never room for error, not if you wanted to be certain your life would continue.” Griffin tapped her leg. “And Tharma… wasn’t much better. She hated for someone to mess up, even if she loved getting to electrocute them for it.”

The doctor looked the witch over, biting her own lip. “And I can imagine it was even worse to be an enemy to them… What happened back at your cell?”

Griffin closed her eyes tightly, pulling her legs closer to her. “The interrogation formally began… With the Wizards leading the charge and the Ancestresses asking the questions…”

\---------------FB------------------FB-----------------------------

“What does the Company of Light know about our members?” Belladonna asked, her voice clear and concise.

Griffin just raised her head, staring the older witch down. (Not much she could do anyway… They’d attached chains to her bracelet, there wasn’t much she could do to ‘walk away’.) She kept silent. Refusing to answer.

Anagan walked toward her, raising his hand. She let out a pained gasp as the air left her lungs and became too thin to breathe, the wizard keeping her from breathing. “I believe you were asked a question, Traitor.” He snipped, finally bringing his hand down.

Griffin had fallen to her knees, gasping for air. (Her vision had begun to darken with the lack of oxygen, she had to keep awake.)

“How about I ask in a different way? Did you give power profiles of our members to the Company of Light so they’d know how to defeat them?” Tharma questioned.

The younger witch got back to her feet, shaking her head. “I’d like a lawyer now… And to exercise my right to remain silent.” Griffin quipped, mentally preparing for another blast from Anagan.

Gantlos hit his heels against the cell floor, creating a mini-quake. Griffin swayed a bit, unsteady due to the weight of the chains, but she kept to her feet. “That was it? I’m a little disappointed.” She snipped.

The blonde growled and smacked his hands together, the sonic boom near deafening. Griffin winced, her glasses shattering, the others in the room becoming moving blobs. “Well that’s going to be inconvenient…” She glared (or tried to, she couldn’t tell which way to glare at).

She felt something stinging at the back of her neck, where she couldn’t get to anymore. The sting started to spread, a feeling of overheating going over her. A fever.

A wave of nausea hit, forcing her to have to sit down, to stay level. “That’s what it feels like to have a catapoe sting. Now I’m sure we can give an antidote if you’d just answer our Mistresses’ questions.” Duman told her in that sing-song voice he used.

Griffin glowered, shaking her head. “Pretty sure… I asked for a lawyer.” She took a breath, trying to focus on anything but the sting. “Besides… I’ve had worse from Mandragora while sparring…”

She could hear him growl and Ogron hushing him.

“Sisters, I don’t think these idiots are going to get much further… Perhaps we should try a different approach?” Tharma suggested. (Fuck… If they started up… She was screwed.)

“Ogron, drain her again… She may not be able to access her powers, but they’re still there. It’ll give her time to think and rest.” Belladonna ordered.

Griffin tensed up when she felt hands grab her shoulders roughly, forcing her to stand. Nausea continued to swarm her, getting worse and worse as she felt him drain her. She couldn’t help but fall as she hit the ground, wincing a bit.

(But the relief she felt when she heard them leaving… Now that was everything.)

\-----------------------------FB-------------------------FB-------------------

“So they just left you to your own devices…? Wasn’t that a dangerous move on their part?” Faye asked, her head tilted. Griffin shook her head.

“It wasn’t for long… An hour or two maybe… Then Mandragora and Darkar arrived…” She felt herself shake a bit. “They were a step up from the Wizards… But they weren’t…” She paused, trying to find the words.

“They didn’t scare you, is what you’re getting at, right?” Faye suggested, shifting in her chair. Griffin shrugged.

“Not quite… It was…. Different. They’d been friends of mine, so in a way that did make it worse… But at the same time… I knew what to expect.” She could feel the heat under her skin, like her blood had started boiling again.

And the stings from Mandragora’s “pets”… Griffin found herself absently tapping at her arms, like she was trying to smash the bugs.

Faye frowned. “What happened with their interrogation technique?”

Griffin paused. “Tell me, do you know what it’s like to feel like you’re boiling alive? And I don’t mean from fever or from stepping outside Solaria when both suns are out… I mean… Like your body is literally burning from the inside out?”

The doctor’s mouth went from frowning to open-mouthed shock, like she didn’t have the words. “I can’t say that I have… I take it Darkar was really angry with you…?”

“He and Mandragora both felt I’d betrayed them… And… In a way… They were right.” Griffin admitted. “I did betray them.”

\----------------------FB------------------------FB----------------------

Griffin bit down on her cheek to keep from screaming out as her blood sizzled and steam came from her body. Sweat was pouring from her, the nausea bad enough she’d thrown up. And yet, Darkar kept it up.

“Enough, Sweetheart. She’s had enough. We can’t question her if she’s dead.” Mandragora calmed the wizard down, soothing her hand down his armor.

Darkar flashed his red eyes once more at Griffin, but waved his hands, her blood beginning to simmer down.

She let out a groan, pulling her legs to her chest. “When did you learn to do that?” She asked, voice hoarse and scratchy.

The wizard growled at her, acting as if he’d start it up again. “You don’t ask the questions here, Griffin. I do.” He snarled. “What does the Company know?” He growled.

Griffin swallowed, wincing at her rough her throat was. “The better question would be ‘what don’t they know’?”

Mandragora stepped forward, hand on her hip. “This isn’t the time to be joking with us, Griffin. Don’t make me summon my pets.”

The younger witch gave a breathless laugh. “Go ahead. Do your worst.” (In hindsight, that wasn’t her brightest moment. Mandragora had recently learned how to summon Inward Leeches and… Those were worse than any catapoe.)

\--------------------------FB-----------------------FB------------------

“An Inward Leech? What is that?” Dr. Faye asked, her nose scrunching up. “They sound horrible…”

Griffin swallowed, pulling her shirt sleeves up to show the little scars on her arm from their teeth. “They’re parasites an insect witch can summon to literally crawl under your skin and drain you for everything you’ve got. They sting, they itch, and you’ll never feel a sickness quite like it.”

Faye shook her head fast, waving her hand. “That’s… A bit much. Why didn’t you just tell them what they wanted to know? I mean, weren’t you only involved for your research?”

“Self-preservation.” Griffin answered. “I know it sounds strange, but I would have rather died a prisoner than know I helped the Ancestral Witches destroy the magical dimension and enslave those who survived. I’d rather be dead than a slave.”

The doctor gave a slow nod. “That’s… That’s quite a hill to put your stake in, isn’t it?” Griffin forced herself to look Faye in the eyes.

“You have no idea.” She answered, noticing the look in the doctor’s eyes. “What’s wrong? More than you bargained for?” She half-sneered. “I told you, you didn’t really want to know.”

Faye swallowed, looking to Griffin. “I do want to know. It’s just a lot for me to process how anyone could inflict that sort of pain, let alone survive it.” The doctor took a breath. “I can only imagine how difficult it must be for one to process that it happened to them.”

Griffin shook her head, leaning back. “I knew if I got caught, I’d be in for it… I knew it and still took the job.” She gave a breathless laugh.

“I took the damn job anyway. I knew… I knew and I still went.” Griffin swallowed. “They beat me, they poisoned me, made me hallucinate… Only an hour reprieve in between each session… And I still antagonized them. I knew it’d just make them angrier… But it was…”

“It was to keep you from looking weak to them?” Faye offered, swallowing. “To make you feel more in control?”

The witch threw her hands up. “Hell if I know…” She sighed. “But none of it… None of it was as bad as…”

“As bad as what?” the doctor asked, shifting to sit closer.

Griffin raised her head to look at the doctor. “As when I realized that their patience was running out… And that I was running out of time.” She glanced to the clock. “But I think that’s all we’ll be getting to today. Our session is up.” Griffin swallowed, relieved.

She didn’t want to relive _that_ just yet… (She never wanted to relive it…)

“It is.” Faye gave a nod, taking the notepads and pens up. “And I’m going to have to change our next session to tomorrow. I have a conference I have to go to in Lilia and I can’t get out of it.” Faye shook her head. “I hate those things.”

Griffin couldn’t help but give a smirk, getting to her feet. “Good luck, doc. See you tomorrow.”

Faye gave a smile. “See you tomorrow. Same time, okay?”

Griffin gave her a wave, walking out of the room and toward her own. (Shit. Shit. Shit. She had to talk about it all… Again. Tomorrow… Shit.)


	11. Chapter Ten: Run in Circles (Till I Crash)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Torture... Some non-graphic/non-explicit suicidal ideals. 
> 
> Next chapter should be... "Nicer" but then it gets back into torture... So... I'm warning people. Again and again.

  1. Run In Circles (Till I Crash)



_“Just tell us what we want to know and I promise your death will be quick.” Belladonna growled out, one of her nails trailing down Griffin’s newly scarred back. A trail of ice followed along her spine, freezing her in place._

_Griffin glowered as she bit down on her lower lip, refusing to give in. She couldn’t give them what they wanted, she couldn’t. Lives were on the line._

_(Besides, she knew the older witch was lying. Any death they gave her would be slow and agonizing.)_

_“Let me try, Bella… I think what we need here is a softer touch.” Lysslis cackled, moving in front of Griffin. The elder witch grabbed her hair, forcing her to look upward, into her golden eyes. “Griffin, dear… We need to know about the Company of Light… All you have to do is tell us about them.”_

_The burn at Griffin’s mouth let her know a truth spell had been cast, that there was no way to ‘not’ answer. “You want to know about the Company of Light?” She asked, trying to stall having to answer. “They’re a force meant to oppose you, with fairies and warriors in their ranks.”_

_An agonizing burn lit up through her body, the crackle of Tharma’s lightning whip still echoing in the cell. “We know that much you insolent worm! We want details.” She growled out, temper already rising._

_Griffin caught her breath, the familiar taste of copper in her mouth from biting down too hard. “Details? They’re led by Oritel and Marion, the King and Queen of Domino… A warrior by the name of Hagen is their right hand.”_

_She felt another strike of electricity running through her body, veins popping as she cried out. She couldn’t stop herself from falling to her knees, wincing at the scrape of the cell. “You asked!” Griffin snipped, coughing up the blood. “I answered.”_

_“Useless… She’s damn near useless.” Tharma growled. Belladonna hummed._

_“Seems we’ve gotten all we’ll get from her… Who should do the honors?” Belladonna spoke, the three of them backing away from Griffin._

_The witch sighed, allowing herself to lay on the floor. She’d be dead soon. It’d be over. Finally over…_

\--------------------------------------------------

Faye was sitting in her chair, waiting, by the time Griffin walked into the room. “Want to tell me why you’re late?” Dr. Faye asked, gesturing to the clock. “From what I’ve heard, you’re normally quite punctual.”

The witch just gave her a look and took her seat on the couch, immediately pulling her legs to her chest. Her throat was sore and she really didn’t feel like speaking, not after last night’s dreams.

(Nightmares… That’s what they were. Horrible, agonizing, nightmares.)

“Please tell me we’re not regressing back to mutism… We were making such good progress…” The doctor frowned. “Griffin?”

The witch glowered, snapping her head up. “My throat is sore.” She growled out, quickly wincing at the scratchiness of her voice. She sighed, reaching for the notepad and scribbling something down.

‘ _Nightmares getting worse. Voice hurts. Going to be seeing the nurse when she gets in so I can get one of those soothing honey potions.’_ She sat it down for the doctor to see, frowning.

“Oh… I’m sorry your nightmares are getting worse… But that does mean progress is being made… Reliving trauma can help you understand it… To a degree. Just as talking about it takes away its power to control you.” Faye handed the notepad back.

Griffin shrugged, leaning forward to take the notepad. She scribbled a few things downs, handing it to Faye.

‘ _Keep telling yourself that if it helps you sleep at night. Sounds more like minotaur shit to me._ ’

Faye gave a slight laugh, pushing her hair back. “I suppose it does… But it does work… For most people. There are a few who need extra care and guidance… Or medication…” The doctor looked to Griffin. “Do you want to talk about the nightmare?”

The witch grabbed her notepad and started writing again, giving little glares to Faye. ‘ _No I don’t want to talk about. But I have a feeling you’re going to push the issue anyway because you have no sense of self-preservation.’_

She handed the notepad to the doctor, crossing her arms. Faye gave her a look. “What do you mean by self-preservation? I’m merely trying to understand what happened on Obsidian so that I can help _you_ understand what happened there.”

“You… You can’t say you weren’t… Frightened by our last session. That wasn’t even… That was all child’s play. The real horror happened after.” Griffin forced herself to speak.

_After. After Belladonna and her sisters had marked Griffin for death. After he decided to play god and mark her._

_After he ‘coerced’ (forced) her to drink an aphrodisiac potion._

“Take this… Griffin… Do you know where you are?” Dr. Faye’s voice cut through her mind, the ceremony room gone, the therapy room back.

Faye had moved from her chair and was offering tissues to her. (Tissues…)

Shaking. Her body had started shaking and she… She could taste salt… (Tears. Damn she’d started crying… When… When did that happen?)

The witch took the tissues offered, pulling her glasses off and trying to calm herself down. (Heat. It was suddenly far too hot and she could the pressure against her chest.)

_She could still feel his kiss on her neck, could still hear him telling her that it was okay, that she just had to relax._

_That she’d enjoy it._

_That she was lucky it was him and not Ogron or Gantlos._

_That he owned her now._

She shook her head, putting it in her hands. Damn was she weaker than she thought. How did she get this far down?

“Griffin… I’m not going to pretend I _know_ what all went down during the war or during your imprisonment… But I don’t think this is something to keep bottled away. If you do, it’s just going to get worse and worse and worse.” Faye’s tone had shifted into soothing, melodic. Calming.

“I get it… You’re used to carrying shit like this on your own. You, like most witches I’ve had sessions with, are taught that any sign of distress is weakness and that you don’t show weakness… But I’m telling you, if you don’t start speaking out, if you don’t start opening up… You may end up closing yourself off for good.” Faye swallowed.

“And I don’t think your brother or your friends could handle another loss like that.” A low blow, using her brother against her.

(It was true though… The thought had crossed her mind a time or seven… Just ending it all. Never having to worry again… But that would be giving them satisfaction… And she was still just spiteful enough to not give that to them.)

Griffin paused and moved away from the doctor, undoing her shirt to show her the scars. “I should be… I should be dead. Tharma electrocuted me so many times during the month…” Damn her voice sounded worse, and her throat was definitely going to be hoarse, but she had to keep going. She was on a roll and if she stopped now…

“My heart stopped a few times… But they’d just restart it… I tried to escape, I’d get caught…. I had my blood frozen.” She turned to show her back, the lightning marks that ran down, then turned to show the still blue scars from the frostbite Belladonna had left.

“Lysslis played with my head so much I didn’t even know what reality was anymore.” She swallowed. “The only good thing that happened down there… Was I managed to free one of the other prisoners… Darkar caught me… Boiled me…”

“They only gave me enough food and water to… To be sure I wouldn’t die before… They were ready.” Griffin moved her hair away from her neck, a small scar there.

“Kalshara hung me, just long enough for me to pass out… Her brother would revive me, and it’d start again… Same questions… Different interrogators.” She put her shirt back on, looking to Faye, studying her reaction.

Dr. Faye almost look teary-eyed herself, her dark eyes that normally seemed to shine were dimming. “You managed to survive it though… You survived because you’re a fighter. And you stood up to them. Refused to give them what they wanted. Do you realize how badass that is?” She was trying to find a silver-lining, grasping at straws.

Griffin shook her head, sitting back on the couch. “ _I_ survived… But not because I’m a fighter… I was just lucky… And had a high pain tolerance. The real heroes…? They died. _They_ lost their lives… But I’m still here. We’re still here.”

Faye seemed to be making a mental note, studying the witch a bit. (“Patient has survivor’s guilt” she could see the fairy? Witch? Elemental? writing down in her little file on Griffin. And yeah, maybe she did have that… But most of them did.)

“The tattoo you have… It’s of an ankh… That’s a protection symbol, right?” Faye changed the subject.

Griffin bit her lip. “Yes… It’s… Protection throughout life and death… Felt like a good idea at the time.”

“And it covers up the burn… Did Darkar burn you there?” That had Griffin pausing, holding tight to herself.

“No. It… Happened after. After the Ancestral Witches…. Were done with me.” Griffin swallowed, looking to the clock. Relief washed over her when she saw time had run out.

Faye seemed to notice it too and began to pack up. “I’ll see you on Monday, Griffin… And we’ll talk more about that final interrogation. Okay?” The doctor asked, giving the witch another once over.

“Good luck… At your conference.” She gave the doctor a wave before heading out of the room, looking for the nurse. (She needed that potion and soon… Her throat was killing her and she knew it wasn’t going to be getting any better over the weekend…)


	12. Chapter Eleven: Action

  1. Action



Griffin had finally managed to begin relaxing again, laying on ‘her’ bed and reading the next book in the series she’d picked up ( _Tales of the Lamp)._

So far she’d been good, safe. No nightmares. No outbursts. No… Hallucinations.

(It was almost too peaceful and she was beginning to wonder when the shit would hit the fan again… But for now… She was content.)

The nurses had even removed that damn bracelet from her wrist so she could have her powers back. (And Maggie and Hagen had theirs removed too… Guess they were no longer considered ‘threats’).

A knock on the door had her coming back to reality, making her frown. “Hello?” She asked, not bothering to move from her bed. She’d just gotten comfortable, dammit.

“Saladin and Faragonda are here… To discuss that project of ours…” Maggie’s voice came crystal clear through the door, despite it being shut. Griffin sighed.

If she had to be interrupted, at least it was for a damn good reason… “I’ll be there in a minute… Don’t start without me.”

“We wouldn’t dream of it.”

\------------------------------------------------------------------

Faragonda and Saladin had it all laid out on the table, both of them beaming at the progress they’d made.

“See? We’re not only going to be able to force the truth out of the Council, but we’ll be able to force them all to withdraw from their current positions.” Faragonda smiled, her blue eyes just shining behind her glasses. (Since when did she start needing glasses?)

Griffin frowned, looking the documents over. It seemed sound enough. Signed affidavits from each living member of the Company of Light (including her, Maggie, and Hagen just in case they wouldn’t be released in time for the hearing) all stating the same thing: the Council was full of liars and cowards who _could_ have done something, but didn’t.

There were also formal documents from the Council themselves, all refusing Oritel’s and Erendor’s written proposals for help and supplies. (Perfect for adding onto the noose the Council would hang themselves with.)

But of course, documents could be considered forged… “This isn’t all you have, is it? I mean, it’s damning enough, but…” Griffin paused. “There should be more… I don’t know… More evidence.”

“Like what? We’ve found the papers they issued to Oritel, all the rejections… What more could we need?” Saladin asked, crossing his arms, frowning enough that his forehead seemed to crease.

Hagen seemed to light up at the question. “Oritel made recordings every time he had to deal with the Council… Audio and video… If you could find those… There’s nothing the Council could do or say to back themselves up.”

Magnethia grinned. “Audio and video, huh? Electronio and I could find them… I mean…” She paused, biting at her lip. “Domino may not have survived… But their viral network into the MagiWeb should still be there… We could hack in and pull the files.”

Griffin paused, another thought coming to mind…

_She’d overheard the Ancestral Witches arguing in their chambers, with a voice she’d only heard once or twice…_

_Councilman Yeerka’s voice. And he sounded upset. “This isn’t what we agreed to. This is madness, Belladonna.”_

_Belladonna and her sisters cackled. “Did you forget our deal? You send us the lost dark souls you and your fellow councilmen toss aside and you get to live… I never said you’d live well…”_

“Someone needs to search the remains of the Obsidian Palace.” Griffin spoke up, glancing over to Faragonda. “I… I recall a conversation Yeerka had with Belladonna…”

Her four friends gave her looks of shock. Eyes wide, mouths open, heads shaking. (Did they not believe her?) “I know it’s hard to believe, but I can remember it… Sort of… I… I think it was about the Council purposefully pushing angry dark magic users toward the Ancestral Coven.” Griffin continued. “Assuming it wasn’t another of Lysslis’ hallucinations.”

“Why did you wait until now to say anything?” Hagen asked, face contorting into anger. “We could have stopped so much suffering… Why say anything now?” He glowered, voice rising.

Griffin held her ground, glowering at him. “In case you forgot, Hagen, I had a few issues to work through when Faragonda and her raiders saved me from Obsidian, including trying to work out reality from fantasy. Forgive me if I wasn’t thinking clearly or wanting us to walk into a trap.” She snipped.

Hagen paused, face dropping a bit. “You still could have mentioned it.”

“I don’t even know if it really happened or not. That’s why someone should search the remains of the palace, to make sure it’s not something Lysslis made up.” Griffin pointed out.

“A few of us will get an excavation team together.” Faragonda promised, quick as ever to step in. “If there’s a record of the Council working with the Ancestral Witches, that’ll be the final nail on the coffin.”

“But what will happen after the Council is disbanded? I mean, we need to have a sort of central government… Don’t we?” Magnethia asked.

Saladin grinned. “We’ve already come up with a solution… A high council of sorts should be made from the ruling parties of each of the realms…. That way we can all stay informed and wary of what’s going on in the realms.”

“And Magix can form their own republic, like they’ve been wanting to do for years now.” Hagen finished. “Brilliant work.” He gave a pat on the back to Saladin, the slightly smaller wizard wincing a bit.

Griffin turned to Faragonda, biting her lip. “Speaking of brilliant work…?”

“Your brother is still putting your research together, but it’s coming along nicely.” The fairy grinned, taking Griffin’s non-bandaged hand. “You did excellent work, Griffin.” The witch flushed a bit.

“I’ll just be glad when the Council has to read it and weep.”

A chorus of “Amen” echoed around their table, the small group giving a nod and smile.

(The Council had no idea just how badly they screwed up.)


	13. Chapter Twelve: Off With Her Head

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Major Trigger Warnings for this chapter. Torture, torture, torture. (Though I feel like most of you know that this story is very... Torturous.)
> 
> (Also, thank you DarkPoisonousLove for helping reinvigorate me to the story, even if you didn't realize you were doing it.)

  1. Off With Her Head



After a weekend of deliberating how to bring down the Council in the upcoming hearing, Griffin found herself a bit more… At peace with herself.

(She finally had a new goal in mind and legitimate ways to work toward the goal. A true distraction.)

Of course, that peace could be shattered in a matter of minutes… It was Monday, a therapy day, and she was going to be delving into something she never wanted to talk about again…

_She’d been so close to the release of death. So close to never having to deal with any of it again…_

_But nothing was ever so easy for her…_

Griffin walked into the therapy room, giving a slight smile in greeting to Dr. Faye as she took her seat on the couch. “How was the convention?”

Faye shook her head, pushing her dark locks back. “A disaster… We almost had a fight break out over proper hypnosis techniques…” She looked to Griffin. “I heard a hearing has been declared for the Council by order of the Royals in the Magical Dimension.”

The witch smirked, leaning back on the couch. “They shouldn’t have spoken ill of the beloved dead. Oritel and Marion were real heroes… No one’s going to forget that anytime soon.” Faye chuckled.

“I suppose not.” The doctor moved to get out the notebooks and pens. “As much as I’m living for this change in your demeanor and this… Shine back in your eyes… We do need to pick back up where we left off.” Faye reminded her.

Griffin sighed, grabbing her notepad and pen. “I was about to be interrogated for the final time… And then executed.” She groaned. “All because I took a job to help with my research…”

Faye gave a slight smirk, mischief in her dark eyes. “You know, I may have believed that at first… But now… Now that I’ve talked to you and got to look over your story… I think you enjoyed the chance at getting to one-up the Ancestral Witches. I mean, you basically showed yourself to be one of the most formidable witches in the realms… And you enjoyed the thought of stopping them.”

Griffin snorted, shaking her head. “I may have a vanity streak, but not like that. I was never impressed with power. Power is meaningless if you don’t _know_ _how_ to use it.” She swallowed. “That was something none of them understood… It was all power and brute force. Well… Aside from Lysslis…”

\------------------------------FB----------------------------FB---------------------------

She was sore and weak, laying in a heap on the floor of the cell, bloodied and bruised. Darkar and Kalshara had just finished double-teaming her for their Mistresses. She had deep incisions on her wrists from Kalshara’s clawed hands from when the former fairy held her down, letting Darkar burn her over and over again. (Dry burning. Like dry drowning, but with the flames… And without the need for a stake and a priest…)

Griffin managed to raise up to her knees, hands and thighs trembling from the effort, her back threatening to seize up on her. She could still taste blood in her mouth, wincing a bit as she checked her teeth with her tongue. (Somehow, she managed to keep them all… But her cheeks and gums were sore from being bitten and her tongue itself had a small piercing from when she tried to refrain from crying out…)

_She couldn’t show her distress. That’d make it worse. She just had to bear with it…_

The witch sighed and leaned as carefully as she could against the wall, her body aching from the move. Anagan and Gantlos had taken turns earlier that day… One flinging her high into the air, so high she could barely breathe, only to let her fall.

And she’d fall, straight into the ground that had become unsteady due to Gantlos’ sonic waves crashing through. (If she’d had her magic and had been able to heal herself or create a bubble, she’d have considered it a fun roller coaster-esque ride… But magicless and practically useless? Easily one of her more painful experiences.)

The air around her began to simultaneously chill and come alive with static, her breaths becoming visible again. (Shit. Shit. Shit.)

_Clack. Clack. Clack._

The unmistakable heels of the Ancestral Witches clacked as they walked down to the dungeons, Griffin’s fate currently residing with them.

(What a way to go…)

\---------------------------------------FB---------------------------FB--------------------

“Sounds like you’d already been through the ringer that day... Didn’t you get the usual hour reprieves?” Dr. Faye asked.

The witch shook her head. “No… Which…. Clued me in that they were getting impatient… Desperate.” She paused, licking her lips. “I’d heard Brafillius talking to his sister… About a raid they’d done that went south on Lunaris. I figured the Coven was getting pretty badly beaten and…”

“And they wanted to know what you could have told the Company about them?” Faye finished her sentence. Griffin gave a nod, pulling her legs up to her chest. “How were you feeling in those moments? I mean, at one point you _were_ somewhat friendly with these people…”

Griffin snorted, a bit of a smile threatening to twitch at her lip. “Only as much as I had to be… It was a job. A con.” She swallowed at that last part. “And I knew the consequences of getting caught. Did that make any of it hurt less? No. No. It still hurt like hell and I can only imagine how pathetic I looked covered in blood and bruises, but I _knew_ getting caught was a possibility.”

Faye gave a slow nod. “What about Zatura? You were close to her even before her involvement with the Coven…. Did she ever visit you in the dungeons…? Was she ever an interrogator of yours?”

That had Griffin pausing, her fingers tapping quickly on her knees. “She didn’t visit… Until after it all… Got worse.” That was the best she could say about what happened there. That was a rabbit hole she didn’t want to fall into… Not yet. (Not ever.)

_Zatura was glowering at her, arms crossed. Griffin could feel the anger radiating from her former friend, even without her powers._

“I see.” Faye looked to Griffin. “How long do you think you were being interrogated for? Or do you know?” Griffin shrugged.

“Time didn’t exist in Obsidian’s dungeons… It felt like years to me… But… Maybe it was just a month or two… Maybe three…? I don’t know.” Griffin frowned. “Does it matter?”

The doctor shook her head. “Not… exactly. I’m just… Trying to figure out a time frame… How long you were at the mercy of these people.” Griffin snorted.

“Monsters, you mean. Corrupted, mad, blood-thirsty monsters.”

\--------------------------------FB--------------------------FB-------------------------

She tensed up as the door to her cell opened up, the three sisters walking in. Lysslis had a glass of some sort in her hand, but Griffin could barely tell what it was. (Damn she really missed her glasses… She missed being able to see.)

Tharma moved quickly to Griffin, forcing the younger witch onto her feet. She winced, trying not to cry out as her sore arm was twisted, chains slipping through the bracelets she had. Once the older witch was satisfied Griffin had nowhere to go, she moved away, Lysslis stepping forward.

“There’s a reason we’ve been withholding water… I didn’t want any resistance when I gave you this little… Potion.” Lysslis had that lilt in her voice, the melodic tone. Lulling. Griffin glowered, or did her best to.

“Potion? After all of this, you’re just going to poison me? I find that hard to believe.” Griffin huffed, defiant as ever. Lysslis laughed, walking closer to her and pulling her by the hair.

“Just take this… And I promise it’ll all be over soon.” She spoke in her sing-song manner, tugging Griffin’s hair hard enough to force the witch to open her mouth, the potion bitter as it went down her throat. “And now we just give it a few moments to take effect.”

She stepped away, back to her sisters Griffin guessed. The witch shook her head as her tongue felt like it was on fire, a _need_ coming to life.

“Start small, Sisters… Make sure it’s working.” (It? The potion? Damn what was going on?)

“What is your full name, Dear?” Belladonna’s voice cut through her thoughts.

“Griffin Eleanor Sylvane.” She spoke before she even realized the words had escaped her mouth. Griffin swore inwardly. A truth potion… That was going to make things difficult…

The sisters cackled in delight. “I told you this would work, Bella. Now didn’t I?” Lysslis crowed a bit, moving about.

“At least we know we got the dosage right… The last time you tried this, the poor thing’s mouth burned away.” Tharma snipped, her voice getting closer to Griffin. “Now… Let’s begin the real interrogation. What is the Company of Light planning?”

Her mouth burned, the words trying to force themselves out… “To send the three of you back to Hell. Or Oblivion… I have a feeling the devil wouldn’t even want you around.” She snarled. (It was the truth… More or less.)

 _Smack._ The sound reverberated in the cell as Tharma’s clawed hand smacked her. (Hard enough to draw blood. How was she not woozy from blood loss yet…?)

“I asked a question. What is the Company of Light planning?” Tharma growled out. Griffin swallowed, the taste of copper overpowering the bitter taste of the potion.

“They want to stop you, by any means necessary. Congratulations, you’ve made enemies with literally every realm in the magical dimension.” She snipped.

She couldn’t stop herself from crying out or falling to her knees when the electricity began to surge in her body, the crackle from Tharma’s lightning whip near deafening. Griffin tried to wipe the tears away, but another surge of lightning went through her, leaving nearly breathless as she collapsed to the floor.

“Tharma enough! We don’t want her dead yet!” Belladonna chastised her sister. She waved her hand, the chains forcing Griffin back into standing. (Unsteady and leaning heavily on the chains, but standing.)

“Griffin… Where is the Fortress of Light?” Belladonna asked. Griffin paused, her mouth beginning to burn again.

“It’s in the magical dimension. Hidden away. Near a body of water.” Again, it was the truth… Just not the truth they wanted to hear.

She could feel her blood chilling, her skin already turning blue from the cold, teeth chattering. “I could freeze you right now… Just let you perish and be my next ice sculpture. Tell me the damn truth.” Belladonna commanded.

“It…. Is the truth. By a body of… Water…. In the magical dimension…. Is the Fortress.” Griffin managed to spit out. The chill lifted, and she could hear the mutterings from the older witches, all three wondering what to do with her…

A snap of fingers and the chains holding Griffin up were gone, the witch collapsing back to the floor, unable to move. (Too weak to move. Everything ached. And she felt so sick…)

“Don’t get too comfortable… This reprieve will be your last.” Lysslis cackled. “It’s just a matter of _how_ we end you… I mean… We want to make an example of you. Not only for our members, but for the Company too…”

“I’m sure we’ll think of something. Maybe we send her head to Oritel, after?” Tharma chuckled, the three of them heading out her cell door.

She closed her eyes, finally giving in to her body’s need for rest. (If this was going to be her last time sleeping, she was damn well going to enjoy it. Even if it was on the stone cold floors of Obsidian’s dungeon.)

\--------------------FB----------------------FB------------------------

“So what did they decide on? Or do you even know how they’d planned to kill you?” Faye asked, tilting her head. Griffin shook her head.

“I’ve heard different stories… One said they were planning on burning me alive like the earthlings did to their witches… Another said something about drowning me…. And a different one said I was going to be hung in the courtyard…” Griffin swallowed, her hand going to her neck, as if feeling for the noose.

“And if I’m being honest… I wish they’d killed me… Because what happened after they left was… So much worse than anything they could have done…” The knees of her pants felt damp, tears falling onto them. (When did the water works start?)

She wiped at her eyes, trying not to smudge her glasses. “They should’ve killed me…” She whispered again, feeling dirty again.

_He owned her. He’d made that clear… And for her former friend to have known… And done nothing to help her…_

_Just how far had she fallen…?_

“Griffin…. What happened after they left?” Faye asked, her voice soft and low. “I can sense your hesitation to talk about it, and I can feel the pain there… But you _have_ to tell me. You can’t let it fester.”

Three words. The hardest three words she’d ever said to anyone. (Aside from Ofelia… But that shouldn’t count considering she was on a sedation spell and loopy as hell…)

She could feel the tightness in her chest, her hands clenching hard on her knees. Tears falling freely now. But she spoke, her voice just barely above a whisper,

“He raped me.”


	14. Chapter Thirteen: Don't Make Me Say It

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heavily implied sexual content. (Though not explicit because of my own feelings toward this sort of thing.)
> 
> Lots of feelings I'm sure. Coercion is prominent. 
> 
> (Not going to lie, this was one of the harder chapters to write... So... I hope I brought what I was seeing to life in a way that you guys can see.)

  1. Don’t Make Me Say It



“ _He raped me._ ” Three of the hardest words she’s ever said, still reverberating in the room. She couldn’t stop the tears then… Her hands clenched around her knees, leaving little marks.

Faye moved over to sit on the table, in front of Griffin. “I know this is going to be difficult, but saying it out loud… It helps take the power from the memories.” Faye kept her voice pitched, low and soothing.

Griffin kept her gaze to the ground, the tears blurring her vision. She removed her glasses, not wanting to smudge them more. “It wasn’t… I…” She swallowed. “I couldn’t even fight back… I couldn’t…” Her body shook, the phantom feeling of hands going over her body nearly making her yelp.

“What happened, Griffin?” Dr. Faye whispered. “Who raped you?”

\------------------------FB----------------------FB----------------------

She stirred when the clacking of heels started coming in her direction. Griffin mentally braced herself for the end. This was it. This was going to be the day of her murder.

Her cell door flung open, Zatura and Mandragora standing before her. She glowered as best she could, moving to lean against the wall. “So… You’re going to be my executioners?” She asked, trying to keep the waver from her voice. (She was ready… Ready to die. But it still worried her, how it would feel to finally be gone. Would they allow her a priest? She wasn’t religious, but her mother had been…)

“You wish.” Zatura’s voice was cold, the warmth usually in it gone. “Hold her for me, Mandy. This is going to sting.” She held out an object of some sort… (Potion vial?)

Griffin winced as she felt Mandragora’s calloused hands grip her tightly, turning her so her bloodied back was to Zatura. The blue haired witch gave a low whistle. “Mistress Tharma must have been pretty pissed with you to leave marks like that… Don’t worry… We’ll dull the ache…”

“But only because we can’t have you dying on us. You’ll need whatever strength you’ve got.” Zatura snipped from behind Griffin, her heels clacking as she got closer. “This is going to sting like a bitch. Try not to scream.”

The younger witch was going to retort, but her voice got caught when the sting finally came. A burning sensation and her skin coming to life, like it was trying to mend itself desperately. She could see little sparkles coming around her, healing her other wounds. (Her body was still scarred, but at least she wasn’t bleeding anymore.... Or aching… If that could be considered a good thing.)

“Fairy dust…? I thought Kalshara’s vial was emptied…?” Griffin asked, confused. Zatura and Mandragora both gave a low chuckle, a bone-chilling sound.

“This vial was ripped from Amelia’s corpse… She was killed trying to stop our raid on Solaria… Poor Saladin… He’s been so lost ever since.” Zatura gave a wicked cackle.

“And if I’m not mistaken, Duman took her wings for his collection…” Mandragora added, giving a smile.

Griffin felt her stomach drop, a wave of nausea hitting her. (Amelia was dead. Just like that. She was gone…)

“We’d go more into the details, but right now, you’ve got somewhere to be.” She groaned when she felt them forcing her up to her feet, unable to force them to release her.

“Where are you taking me?” Griffin asked after they’d walked her into the dungeon’s hallway, not bothering to fight them anymore. (It was useless to try. She had no magic. No weapons. And she was still weak from earlier.)

Mandragora chuckled. “The ceremony room. You were never formally inducted… So you’ll be getting a different sort of ceremony.”

“And I wouldn’t try to fight it. You made your bed, Griffin… You’re going to lie in it.” Zatura snarled a bit, her nails digging into Griffin’s arm. “But you’ll be in good hands… Rest assured.”

\-----------------------------------------------------

Once at the door to the ceremony room, Mandragora and Zatura all but threw Griffin inside, the witch having to do her best to keep from falling to the ground.

She stumbled, sure, but she did catch herself.

The room seemed empty, she couldn’t hear anyone else or make out any moving blobs of people. (What she’d give to see right about now...)

She did notice lit candles flickering about, all of them in a sort of pattern, one she couldn’t decipher in that moment.

 _Creak_.

Griffin jumped, hearing the door opening and shutting behind her, raising her hands as if to prepare a blast. “You and I both know that’s not going to work, Griffin.” An all-too-familiar voice crooned. Valtor. One of the few who hadn’t tried to kill her.

“What the hell is going on? Am I going to be some sort of sacrifice?” She asked, starting to feel more wary of her situation. After all, what else could they want with her? She was marked for death… Right? She had to be.

Valtor laughed and lunged forward, grabbing her by the wrists and shoving her against the nearest wall. “You honestly think that I’m just going to let you die after all you’ve done? No. No. That’d be a waste.”

Griffin could seem him clearer up close, those gray-blue eyes now widened, manic nearly. Not at all how she’d remembered. And his teeth seemed sharper, pointed. Demonic. “Then what was the point of bringing me here?”

The wizard gave a grin, a chill running down her spine. “I’m going to claim what I was denied. You see, your original initiation, had you been truly aligned with the Coven, would have had you bonded to _me._ I vouched for you. I _wanted_ you.” He gave a half-breathless laugh.

“I never cared for acolytes or disciples like my mothers did… But you? The way you effortlessly seemed to learn new spells and how your plans seemed to just come together? We’d have made a team so incredible, not even Marion and Oritel could stop us.”

“But you just had to be on their side… You had to be a traitor… But I still have a claim to make.” His grip on her tightened, painful enough he could have broken her wrists if he’d wanted.

Griffin glared, moving to try to force him away. “You can’t force a blood bond, Valtor. Even you know that!” She snarled. He smirked, moving a bit so only one hand had her wrists.

“I don’t have to use a blood bond. Now hold still and relax. Just… Relax.” He tried to soothe, his free hand going over her heart.

She could feel the burning sensation, overwhelming enough to bring tears to her eyes as she tried to wriggle her hands free.

“That should do it. You’re marked, Griffin. You’re mine.” He gave a little laugh, moving to let her go.

She wiped at her eyes, trying to get a look. A “V”. His mark, right there on her chest. Damnit she knew she should have taken Hagen up on his offer to make her a sword.

“I don’t know what the hell you’re planning… But if I didn’t break for the Ancestral Witches, what makes you think you have a chance?” She snarled. Valtor laughed.

“I do love your fire, Griffin. You never did like being underestimated.” He began to move toward her.

_Bang. Bang. Bang._

Valtor swore, turning to the door. “I’ll be only a moment.” He turned to her. “But if I were you, I’d stay put. Otherwise you’ll just make things worse for yourself.” She waited, listening for him to leave, giving a little sigh of relief as the door shut behind him.

\-------------------FB------------------------FB---------------------

“There wasn’t a way out except through the door… And he’d locked it…” Griffin whispered, eyes training down to the floor. “I…. Looked for anything I could use for a weapon instead… Thinking maybe I’d have a chance if I had something to fight with…”

“Did you find anything useful?” Dr. Faye asked, her voice staying low and calm.

“An athame… A dagger normally used for rituals… But I was desperate…” Griffin admitted. “I was determined to leave that day… Either alive or dead, I didn’t care.”

\--------------------FB---------------------FB------------------------

She held the athame steady while she waited for the door to open, thinking of how she could rush him. (Granted, he had at least 100 pounds on her… Especially considering her treatment the past few months… And he had his magic… But even this suicidal plan sounded better than waiting for whatever twisted shit he had planned for her happened.)

The door opened and Valtor stepped in, carrying a drinking glass. He smirked when he saw Griffin, setting the glass down. “Drop the athame, Griffin. That won’t work as weapon. Not for long anyway.”

She adjusted her hold, the blade near her heart. “Try me.” Her voice never wavered, and she stood as straight and tall as she could.

Valtor laughed, gesturing toward her. “Go ahead and take your life… It’s your choice. But before you do, you should be let in on something…” He moved closer to her, conjuring a seeing orb.

Griffin had to fight to keep her emotions in check. Salvador was in the dungeons of Obsidian, fighting and struggling against Kalshara and Brafillius, his magic obviously gone. “You see, Salvador came looking for you… Honestly the fool should have stayed where he was safe, but… He did bring us an interesting opportunity to… Negotiate with you.”

The witch glowered, keeping her hand steady on the athame. “You’re lying! That’s _not_ my brother.” She snipped. (Valtor was willing to do whatever he had to do to get what he wanted. Why wouldn’t he lie about this?)

“Am I? Is that a risk you’re willing to take, Griffin?” Valtor asked, that smugness in his voice. “From where I’m standing, Dear Heart… you have three choices: betray yourself and surrender to me, betray the Company of Light and tell us all you know, or betray your brother and you both die.” Valtor laid her options up.

“Now… If I’m lying, you have nothing to lose by killing yourself. But if I’m telling the truth, and you kill yourself, well… Salvador will die too. But if you comply, I can assure you that he’ll receive much better care than you did. And you and I both know I’m a wizard of my word.” Valtor smirked.

“So what’s it going to be?”

Griffin paused. He had to be lying. Had to be… But what if he wasn’t? What if Salvador _was_ captured? Could she… Still go through with it?

She closed her eyes and bowed her head, letting the athame fall to the floor. “What do you want from me?” She asked, deciding to surrender over giving up the Company. (She couldn’t risk the entire Company of Light, not when so much was at stake, but she couldn’t risk her brother either…)

Valtor picked the glass up, walking over to her. “Good girl, you’re learning. Drink this. All of it.” A simple command. But one that had her on edge.

“Please tell me you’ve not gone through all this trouble just to poison me? That’d be a bit pathetic. Even for you.” Griffin snipped. He just smiled and placed the glass in her hand.

“Don’t make me ask again, Griffin. Remember what’s on the line for you.” His voice calm and cool, belying the very real threat behind his words.

She sighed, defeated, and forced the drink down her throat. Once she was finished, she shook her head, the taste coming into effect. Too sweet. Far too sweet compared to the bitterness of the truth potion…

“That it?” She asked, already knowing the answer. (Of course that wasn’t _it_. She was still breathing.)

Valtor stepped forward, grabbing her roughly by the wrists, the glass falling to the ground. (No gloves. Where the hell were his gloves? When did he remove them?)

He moved her back against the wall, completely invading her space and her senses. “Aren’t you even curious about what you just drank?” He whispered into her ear, that smugness in his voice.

She was, but she’d never voice it… (Warm… She was really starting to feel warm. Heated.) “What did you give me?” She finally asked, feeling dizzy with him so close.

“Aphrodite’s Trust.” He gave a low chuckle against her skin. Griffin wanted to tense, wanted to run.

How could he…? “No.” She growled out, going to try to push him away. (She tried. Not that it did much good. Not with how her head was already spinning and he had her pinned.)

Valtor forced his leg between hers, kissing her neck. “You’ll be singing a different tune soon enough… Just give in and relax. Who knows,” he chuckled, one of his hands moving behind her back to find the zipper to her dress, “you may enjoy this more than you think.”

\--------------FB------------------FB-------------

Griffin couldn’t stop the tears, or her body shaking. “And the worst part was… He was right… I did… Enjoy it… Not…” She swore, trying to think of a better way to put it.

“You were under the influence of a powerful potion. What happened after is solely on him. _You_ weren’t consenting to anything.” Dr. Faye reminded her, a bit sternness returning to her voice. “ _You_ aren’t at fault.”

The witch shook her head, pushing her hair back. “I willingly drank the potion. I should have known…” She gave a breathless laugh, wiping at her tears. “I should have known… But I was stupid and _I_ drank it. He may have directed me to it, but I’m the one who drank it.”

“Because you were trying to protect your brother! That’s called coercion or blackmail or…” Dr. Faye threw her hands up. “Hell if I know, my brother is the lawyer in the family, but the point is, you drank the potion under duress. _Valtor_ is the one at fault. Not you. You’re the-”

Griffin held her hand up. “Don’t even finish that thought. I’m not a victim.” Griffin swallowed. “I’m a dragon-damned survivor.” She snipped. “But I’m not a victim.” That she’d always been certain of. She never played that card and she never wanted to.

Victims were the ones who died. She was still breathing. (Barely, but she was breathing.)

Dr. Faye gave a nod. “Okay. The point still remains though, Griffin… You did what you felt you had to do to protect everyone else. Your brother’s life was on the line and so was the magical dimension.”

(Deep down she knew Faye was right. That she had to let go of thinking she’d brought it on herself… But… But she couldn’t get rid of that tightness in her chest, the way she still wanted burn everything in sight at the mention of his name, how she still couldn’t bring herself to even _say_ his name.)

“But that’s just the thing, Doc… He was never in danger because he never left the Fortress. He lied to me and I bought it. Hook, line, and sinker.” She wiped at her face again, certain it was red and raw from crying and wiping.

“I should have known better… I knew he had to be lying… But I couldn’t risk it.” She hugged herself, letting out a shaky breath. “Zatura was right… I made my bed….”

Faye extended her hand to Griffin, an invitation. “Zatura was dealing with her own feelings and she took them out on you. That doesn’t make any of it right, but that’s all it was. And as for him… From what I’ve seen on the news, he’s dead and gone. Just like the Ancestral Witches.”

That she knew. She’d been there…

 _He looked bemused and shocked… Unaware that she’d do it. That she’d cast the spell_ his mothers _once taught her to end_ his _life. She could hear Faragonda in the background, telling her to stop, but she was too far gone._

 _He couldn’t be allowed to live. Otherwise he’d just torment someone else. In another time and place, perhaps, but it’d still be a nightmare. And she couldn’t handle any more_ innocent _blood on her hands._

“I know that. But my nightmares don’t.” Griffin whispered, moving to stand. “I… I know I still have five minutes… But…”

“Go ahead…. I think we’ve made enough progress today and I don’t want you to be anymore overwhelmed than you are.” Dr. Faye paused. “There’s a tea… I can’t remember the root it’s made from but I know it’s Linphean… It’s supposed to help with nightmares… Or in your case, night terrors.”

Griffin gave a slight smile, unable to admit she’d already tried the hidali root tea (thanks to Alyssa and her intuitive nature). This doctor meant well… But…

“I’ll talk to the nurses about it.” She said, leaving the room.

She kept her head down as she made her way to the bathroom, not wanting to talk to anyone… Not until she’d sorted herself out.

(Not until the tears finally stopped.)


	15. Chapter Fourteen: Still I'm Fading

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slight reprieve. Slight.

  1. Still I’m Fading



_Griffin kept her eyes shut a few moments longer, trying to will it all away. After all, it was just a bad dream… Right?_

_Soon she’d wake up in her cell… Waiting for execution… Because surely there was no way in hell they had allowed_ that _to happen, and in their ceremony room no less. Right? There had to be lines somewhere…?_

_But the warm breath at her neck and the body pressed against hers reminded her all-too-well that it wasn’t just a bad dream. That he had drugged her and raped her and her brother was in the cell meant for her._

_She opened her eyes, trying to keep her breathing steady. There was no need to wake him, no need for it to start again. She just needed to find a way around all of this…_

_There was always a loophole to exploit, someway she could get her and her brother out of this._

_A twinkle caught her eyes, an item coming into focus. A shard of the glass that had broken the night before._

_From what she could tell, it was sharp and pointed. It could do as a knife… All she had to do was grasp it and she could be rid of him…_

_Griffin reached, trying her best not to stir him until she knew he couldn’t stop her._

_An arm grabbed hers, forcing her to her back, the piece of glass at her throat. “Now tell me, just what were you thinking?” He gave_ that _smile, one that made her blood run cold._

 _She raised her neck a bit, daring him to slit her throat. “Honestly? I was going to slit your throat. I’d have aimed for your heart, but after last night it’s clear you don’t have one.” She snarked. (He terrified her after last night, but if he_ knew _that… He didn’t need to know just how deep her fear ran.)_

_Valtor gave a breathless laugh, tossing the shard away. She’d would have asked why he found that funny, if she hadn’t seen the flicker of flames in his eyes. “Heartless? That’s what you think of me?”_

_His smile twisted, those too-sharp teeth showing. “Let me show you just how heartless I can be.” That had been her only warning before he grabbed her tight, forcing her into his lap, a hand on her neck, just this side of choking her. The other had slipped between her legs, a reminder._

_“And before you start thinking you can fight me, remember that your brother’s life is on the line.” He reminded her, kissing her cheek. “Now be a good witch and do what I tell you, otherwise this could get very ugly, very fast.…”_

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She nearly jumped out of her bed, sweat pouring from her, that feeling of nausea and panic rising.

She wanted to scream, maybe she’d even tried if her sore throat was something to go by… Damn why couldn’t she breathe…?

The room was dark, but she could feel it spinning, getting smaller. Hands gripping hers, pulling at her.

_Run. Run and don’t look back._

Her feet wouldn’t cooperate, she felt frozen, trapped.

_Bang. Bang._

“Griffin… Griffin are you okay?” She heard Magnethia’s voice, the worry evident in her tone.

(No. No she wasn’t okay. She felt like running and her stupid body wasn’t cooperating with her. She wanted to scream, but that wasn’t going to be any help either.)

“Maggie…?” She managed to squeak out. (Dammit she should of have just stayed quiet. Squeaking? Really? When did she become such a mouse?) “Help.”

Her door creaked open, Magnethia in the doorway. She shut the door and flicked on the lights, but didn’t dare take another step. “Griffin... What do you need help with? Granted… I’m not good at the emotional stuff like Faragonda… But I’m well-versed in the home remedies and the ‘self-care’ stuff Alyssa loves and I can be a good listener…”

Griffin took a few deep breaths, trying to calm her breathing enough that she could speak. (And reach for her glasses, why did she always have to leave them _just_ out of reach?) “I… Don’t know really…” She admitted, wiping at her face. (Wet. Tears. This was _not_ going to be her day.)

Magnethia walked over, carefully sitting at the foot of the bed. “Do you want to talk about whatever happened in here…?” The fairy asked, gesturing to the room.

The witch finally took a look around, realization of just how _bad_ her nightmares were getting setting in.

Her room looked like it had been trashed. The lamp had been shattered, books scattered across the room, papers everywhere… A mess.

“Not… really….” Griffin swallowed, moving to get the bottle of water she kept. Her throat was sore and she felt so… Weak. “I… I’m not even sure I know what happened.” Technically she didn’t… She’d never been one to seek out her powers in a dream… So this _was_ a first.

Magnethia pushed her hair back, looking around. “I could help you clean up. It might… Soothe whatever it is you’ve got going on…” She bit her lip. “Though… If Faragonda were here, she’d try to push you for more details because… It’s kind of obvious you’re hiding something. Which I mean… We all kind of are… It’s why we’re still in this dragon-forsaken hole…”

Griffin raised her hand, wanting to stop Maggie from going on whatever tangent she was about to go on. “You’re right. The three of us are still trying to hide things. It’s normal. There are things everyone would rather take to their grave… So we can leave it at that, for now…”

The fairy nodded. “At least, aside from what we have to tell the therapists?” She half-joked. Griffin groaned.

“Yeah. Except for that… And that’s only because we have people we need to get back to and a Council to overthrow.” Griffin pointed out.

“Right.” Magnethia agreed, looking to the time. “I don’t think either of us are going to make it back asleep though… Not this close to the breakfast call…” She groaned. “We could go find a movie…?”

“Or…” Griffin gestured to Magnethia’s watch. “Do you still have that virtual chessboard? We could play a game.”

“Which rules?” Magnethia asked, giving a smile as she set it up, pressing a few buttons for the board to pop up.

“Magix. That way we don’t have to add in the extra pieces and it’ll be a quicker game.” Griffin moved to get closer, fighting back a yawn. “You said it yourself, the breakfast call will be soon…”

\--------------------------------------------------------------

She was lounging on the couch with her book, trying her best not to snicker at Magnethia and Hagen as they argued over the new board game they’d found in the closets. (It _was_ amusing, and it made her feel… Lighter. Much lighter than she had that morning. Normal, almost.)

“That’s not how this works, Hagen… At all. Did you even read the setup instructions?”

“Yes I did. And it clearly states that the pieces start over here and the cards lay near the center.”

“But that doesn’t make any sense or look like the picture on the box. If you’d just let _me_ set it up…”

Griffin groaned inwardly. (It’d been amusing at first, but now it was getting annoying and she was about to get pissed.)

“I think you may just want to scrap the whole board game play for right now, guys… I’ve got news.” A familiar voice chimed up from the entrance.

Faragonda the peacekeeper, praise the dragons. Griffin gave a smile, setting her book down. “Don’t keep us in suspense, Faragonda…”

Hagen had his arms around small fairy, kissing the top of her head. “It’s got to be good news for you to be smiling like that.”

Magnethia moved to sit by Griffin. “Well?”

Faragonda turned to Griffin, giving a smile. “Your hunch was right. Saladin took a few of the guys to scavenge around what was left of the Obsidian Palace and found a few letters that Belladonna and her sisters had stashed away. All with the Council’s insignia.”

“That’s great. I mean… That’s like… First degree treason, right? A reason to impeach them?” Hagen asked, giving a grin.

“At the very least it’ll be damning in the hearing… Depending on what’s inside the letters…” Magnethia offered.

Griffin hummed, moving to lean back. “Did they check the letters for spells? Tharma was known for leaving curses and hexes on her things. And we don’t want any more trouble for Saladin.”

The wizard had suffered enough during the War. He’d lost many of his close friends, his fiancé, and he’d been stricken by Maeve.

(He almost died because of the Banshee’s call, but Rhodos had managed to protect him from the worst of it… Though his hair did grow white and his health took a spiral.)

“Zarathustra and Griselda checked over the letters carefully… Any hexes or curses were removed.” Faragonda assured them. Griffin couldn’t help but smile at the combination.

“Please tell me they’ve finally admitted to liking each other? I don’t think Ediltrude or I could withstand anymore of Zarathustra’s pining.” The witch teased.

Faragonda gave a sad shrug. “That, I’m not sure of… But trust me, I get what you mean… Griselda gets in such a mood…” She shook her head. “Anyway. Not what we’re discussing right now.”

“Has anyone found the audio or video files Oritel made?” Hagen asked, bringing their focus back.

“Not yet, but Electronio is supposed to be visiting me today with Tecna… So we’ll work on locating the files.” Magnethia gave a smile. “I miss my little pixel… But I know Electronio and our parents have been taking great care of her.”

Hagen nudged Maggie a bit, chuckling. “It’s just good to see you with a little emotion going on.” He teased, looking to Faragonda. “You know… We never talked about children…” He gave a lopsided smile.

Griffin had to fight not to laugh at how red Faragonda’s face had gotten, the fairy elbowing him hard. “And we won’t until you decide to get out of here.” She reminded him, giving a look. Hagen gave a pout.

“But they’re weasels. They don’t give a damn about us…”

The witch shrugged. “I don’t know, maybe you’re just talking to the wrong ones… I mean, I like my new doc just fine.” Faragonda’s face lit up, her eyes shining.

“You’re making progress? That’s so good. I know Palladium wants you there when he has Morgan.” Griffin shook her head.

“He just thinks he does… I mean…. How much good could I be?” Griffin asked, raising up. Magnethia frowned.

“Griffin… Just because Valkyrie was stillborn doesn’t mean you’re cursed or something. Things happen.” The fairy reminded her. Faragonda shot Magnethia a look.

“Maggie. Not the time.” Faragonda chided her, crossing her arms. Magnethia bit her lip, turning to Griffin.

The witch swallowed, wrapping her arms around herself. “Faragonda, I’m not a child. I know what happened. I was there.” She reminded the fairy, getting tired of being handled so… Delicately.

_A sharp cry had pierced through the room, a cry for life._

_She’d been so small, so determined..._

_Ofelia had been worried about the birthmark on her back, the coiled up dragon Griffin knew far too well._

_But she was perfect, even if Ofelia claimed she was too small, she was just perfect to Griffin. (Valkyrie had no worries. She was loved and she was cared for. That’s what would make the next step so hard…)_

“I’m okay.” She promised the others, looking to her friends. “Look, Electronio should be here soon… Right? So we’ll have those files pretty quickly. All that’s left is making sure everyone else is on board. You’ve spoken to Niobe and Teredor right?” Griffin tried to get the others back on track.

The Council still needed to be taken down and if anyone was going to do, by the dragons, it would be them.


	16. Chapter Fifteen: They Got What They Wanted

  1. They Got What They Wanted



Magnethia grinned, coming out of the therapy room and into the common room, papers in hand. “Guess who’s almost done with therapy?”

Griffin gave a slight smile, setting her book down. “So now the race is between me and Hagen?” She half-teased, trying to fight a yawn. (She hadn’t been able to sleep well the past few days, all ‘dreams’ leading back to Obsidian.)

“Seems like it. Though my money’s on you, considering I could hear Hagen tearing into his newest therapist a few minutes ago… I think a sedation spell had to be used.” Magnethia frowned, sitting down in the chair near Griffin.

“Faragonda’s going to kill him.” The witch shook her head. “If Hagen keeps fighting the doctors, he’ll never get out in time to help us fight the Council.”

Magnethia crossed her arms. “Fight them? Do you think it’ll turn physical? Or magical? Because I’m not sure if we can handle another fight like that… Not after Domino.”

_Domino’s skies were rapidly turning from a brilliant blue to foreboding grey, ice and rain pelting to the ground._

_The grounds quaked, buildings collapsed. And the Army of Darkness had been raised, easily opposing the Company of Light and the soldiers of Domino._

_People screamed. Fires spread._

_And Erendor was nowhere to be found. His one damn job had been to alert the others on Obsidian… To protect Domino. But he ran instead._

Griffin took a deep breath. “Magnethia… I’m going to level with you…. When you’re pushed to your limits and you don’t have a choice in the matter, you’ll be surprised what you _can_ and _will_ do.” That was her experience…

‘Joining’ the Coven had her doing things she never would have even considered at Cloud Tower… And being their prisoner…? That came with a whole new list of things she never thought she’d do to survive.

The fairy bit her lip, pushing her cyan locks back. “True enough… I… I remember taking a life for the first time… I didn’t think I could… But when it was between my survival and Lian’s…” Griffin nudged her a bit.

“It’s okay, Mags… War does things to us… And according to my brother, who thinks he’s a psychiatrist now, if we didn’t have a few hang-ups, we’d be sociopaths. Or something to that effect. I tend to drone him out.” Griffin shrugged, trying for a little humor. (There was no need for the fairy to be upset when she was so close to going home.)

Magnethia gave a little smile, her eyes seeming to light up. “Any word on how much longer it’ll before you get to get out?”

Griffin shook her head. “No. But then again, I still have a ways to go in my… Confessional.” She groaned, leaning back. “My doctor is focused on my time in Obsidian.” Magnethia winced at the planet’s name.

“I mean… I can’t blame her… We’ve all been curious about what happened there, considering you only really told a few… but… It’s good you’re telling someone… Professional. It’s not like you had much time to process after we broke you out.” The fairy reminded.

The witch gave a sigh. “I’m well aware of how ill-adjusted I was. Am.” She corrected. “I’m still not sure of some of the things that happened… Lysslis… She did a number on me.” Griffin admitted, pushing her glasses up.

Magnethia wrapped her arms around herself, shaking her head. “She always scared the hell out of me. More than Belladonna did… Or Tharma… I mean the other two were crazy strong and probably insane… But Lysslis was far-too controlled and deliberate…”

Griffin took a breath, listening to the chime of the clock. “She was something…” Griffin stood. “If you want, I’ll help you pack later…?” she offered, giving a smile. (She needed something to look forward to, something to focus on after this session.)

The fairy lit up, jumping to her feet. “I’d love that.”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Griffin took her usual seat on the couch, mentally bracing herself for Dr. Faye’s questions. The other woman was already giving her questioning looks, studying her.

“Have you been sleeping okay?” Dr. Faye asked, pulling out their notebooks and pens. “You seem a little… More down. Which given our previous session, isn’t surprising.”

She swallowed, taking the notebook and pen, leaning back a bit on the couch. “Hard to sleep when you just wind up back in hell.” Griffin deadpanned, taking a deep breath. “So what now? Where do you want me to start this time?”

Faye looked her over again, her brown eyes trying to search for something. (A question to ask?)

“What happened after he raped you? Did he leave? Were you sent back to the cell?” She asked, deciding to dive straight into it.

At least she wasn’t using kid gloves. Or looking at her differently. (More wary perhaps, but not apologetically. That would have… She couldn’t handle that again.)

“I tried to kill him… Or at least, I was going to.” She gave a smile, but she knew it wasn’t a real one, no life in it. “He stopped me before I could reach the shard of glass…”

Griffin paused. She could still feel how he held her down, could still feel the bruises on her wrists. And the heat that coiled around her, strangling her until she complied…. His voice in her ear.

_“If you would just do as you’re told… It wouldn’t be like this.”_

_“Would you rather I go for your brother?”_

_“Relax._ ”

“Griffin. Griffin. Are you with me?” Dr. Faye asked, snapping her fingers. A sound anchor. Back to reality.

She was at Magix Mercy, the ‘decompression’ wing. She was safe. (Even if her breathing was belying that truth… She _was_ safe.)

“I’m here… I just…” She zoned out, how could she not? She didn’t _want_ to remember this… What did it matter anyway?

“It’s okay to space out. It happens more often than you think in cases like this. Trauma is… It’s not something that will work itself out overnight. It takes time and trust. Support. And a little self-care. Finding joy again.” Faye half-rambled, half-preached. “When you can, tell me… What happened after he caught you?”

Griffin swallowed, the memory fresh. “He asked me what I had planned to do and… I was honest. I knew lying wasn’t going to do me any good and I figured it was just for the best… To show where I still stood.”

“I called him ‘heartless’ and he decided to show me just how heartless he could be.” She could feel the glass shard at her back even now, making the marks already there worse. How he’d clamped a hand over her mouth…

She pulled her legs to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. “He raped me, again… Told me not to fight him, that my brother was on the line.” She half-whispered.

“And then he had us get dressed and leave, like nothing happened… I thought he was just going to take me back to my cell and I’d end up executed anyway…” She gave a breathless laugh, shaking her head. “How stupid was that? Thinking it’d be over just like that?”

“Where did he take you, Griffin?” Dr. Faye asked, moving a bit to grab the box of tissues for her patient.

Griffin bit her lip. “His room on Obsidian…”

\--------------------------------FB---------------------------FB------------------------

“You can’t be serious.” She tried to tug away from him, stumbling a bit on her legs. (She was sore and groggy, the after-effects of the potion were really kicking her ass.)

Valtor just chuckled, pulling her inside. The door shut with a thud, as most on Obsidian did, the sound making Griffin want to bolt and run. (As if there were anywhere to go.)

“Relax, Griffin. You’re perfectly safe.” He tried to soothe, like he did every time they’d fought as partners, when he’d go too far in their sparring. She flinched when she felt his hands on her shoulders. “Come on, I’m sure you’d like a shower.”

Normally, she’d have loved a shower. But the way he was talking and with everything that had happened already? She’d rather jump out the nearest window. “I’m fine.” She snipped, wishing like hell that she had her powers when he started to laugh at her.

“To be clear, it wasn’t a request. We both need it. And like I said, you’re safe here. Perhaps not from me, but from the others. And I can promise you this, you’d rather have me than Ogron. I, at least, go for fair play.” He took her by the wrist.

“Of course, if it’d make you feel better, you can shower alone. Not like you can break out while blind and powerless.” Valtor taunted.

He led her forward in the room, toward another door. En suite bathrooms, something all the rooms had in common. She kept quiet, trying to take in what she could.

(Blobs of color mostly… Reds and navies… Black…. There was the outline of a desk and wardrobe, but who could be sure?)

“I’ll have Zatura bring your clothes from your former room… Though I’m not opposed with sharing my shirts.” She turned on him at that, glaring.

“You don’t get to this. Do _not_ act like I’m here because I care for you. Do _not_ turn this around like we’re together.” She growled out.

Her back hit the door frame to the bathroom, forcing out a groan. “Need I remind you that you’re here voluntarily? You could walk out that door at any time, but you’d lose your brother. Or better yet, you and him could both walk out of here, alive, if you’d just tell us what you know about the Company of Light.” Valtor held her tight.

Griffin looked away, not wanting to see if the fires were in his eyes. (She couldn’t stand that again…)

“That’s what I thought.” He kissed her cheek, his grip loosening on her. “Come on, I’ll show you the room so you don’t hurt yourself.”

\----------------------FB----------------------------FB-------------------------

“So he tried to charm you, after everything that had happened?” Faye asked, frowning. Griffin snorted.

“Valtor’s ego couldn’t handle being rejected and it couldn’t stand the word ‘no’. He had to feel like everyone around him _wanted_ to be there. Though he had no problems with coercion…” Griffin shook her head.

“He wasn’t stupid either though… He’d charmed his door so I couldn’t leave without an escort…” She pushed her hair back, out of her face. “He didn’t want there to be a chance I could escape…”

Faye frowned. “So you were basically trapped in an upgraded cell?”

“At least I had a shower.” Griffin said, looking to the ‘bright side’. (Faragonda always said she needed to learn how to do that. Perspective changed _everything_.)

\------------------------------FB--------------------------FB-------------------------

Griffin stood on the bed, trying to get a good look at the clock face. Nearly 12. Good. Good. Kerborg would be on its way to the training rooms to meet up with Darkar, assuming the wizard wasn’t on mission….

And Kerborg, like any good pet, could be persuaded.

She got down from the bed, heading for the dresser. Counting down the drawers, she found the one she’d stashed the candy bar in. (It had taken a week to get over how she’d managed to get it, but if this got her free, it’d be worth it.)

Griffin grabbed opened the door, smiling a bit when she heard the familiar flapping of wings. “Kerborg… Kerborg… Slow down for a second.” She cooed, staying on the line of the door frame. (Any further without a damn escort, and she’d be blasted back into the walls. There was no need for that.)

The shapeshifter squawked, but slowed, changing its form to something larger as it walked closer to her. “I bet you could use something sweet? Right?” She showed the candy bar. “All yours… You just have to escort me down to the cells. Okay? Can you do that for me?”

Kerborg seemed to ponder the request before extending a claw toward her. A deal. She smiled, stepping out of the room. “Good boy.”

\----------------------------------FB-------------------------------FB---------------------------

“So… You bribed Darkar’s pet into helping you escape?” Faye gave a chuckle.

Griffin gave a slight smile. “Kerborg was loyal to Darkar, but it wasn’t the smartest of his pets… Just the most useful…” Her smile dropped though, and she couldn’t help but look down. “I was sooo close to getting to the cells… I thought I’d manage to get my brother and I both out…”

_She was right there at the stairs that lead to the dungeons… Right. There._

_And Darkar… Darkar had to show up looking for Kerborg…_

“Thought you said your brother wasn’t really at Obsidian. That Valtor had lied to you.” Faye reminded her, legs crossing. Griffin sighed.

“I didn’t learn that until after I’d been rescued… As far as I knew, in that moment, my brother was in trouble…”


	17. Chapter Sixteen: Giving In Doesn't Mean Giving Up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not going to lie... I had a hard time writing this one...

  1. Giving In Doesn’t Mean Giving Up



Kerborg led her down hallway after hallway, staircase after staircase, avoiding the other Coven members as they made their way to their rooms or to their training grounds. (Though with it being lunch… She’d doubt there would have been much traffic in the hallways anyway…)

The creature gave a soft squawk, stopping in its tracks. The door to the dungeons, three steps ahead. Griffin gave a smile, handing the candy bar over. “A deal’s a deal. Good boy, Kerborg.” She cooed, remembering how Tanue used to tame the creatures at Cloud Tower. (Always compliment, always reassure.)

It gave another squawk, pleased. She turned to start for the door, ready to find Salvador and get the hell out of there. (Hopefully he had his powers still… Or at least the dagger Hagen fashioned for him… Otherwise this would be more difficult…)

Fire briefly flashed between her and the doors, forcing her back into the wall, a gasp escaping her lips. “Just where the hell do you think you’re going?” Darkar’s voice boomed, anger evident. Griffin could hear the terrified squawks from Kerborg, like it was apologizing to him.

“I’ll deal with you later, Kerborg. Head back to ShadowHaunt.” He commanded. Griffin winced when she felt his clawed hands on her wrist. “I think I asked you a question.”

She glowered, digging in her heels and pulling her wrist away. “I was going back to my original cell. My new one came with a roommate and he snores.” She snarked. (Do not show fear. Do not show fear. Stand tall, stand your ground.)

Darkar gave a huff, grabbing her wrist back. “Cute. But you’re _his_ problem now. Not ours. Which means you’re going back upstairs.” He growled, tugging her toward the stairs.

Griffin felt her pulse race. If she went back, he’d know. And if he knew about this… It’d be worse than when she tried to kill him.

“Darkar… I never pictured you being afraid of Valtor. You have far more experience than he does, you were around for the _first_ keeper of the Dark Dragon’s Fire. You’re a trained warrior and you’re frightened of a young wizard?” She tried ego-boosting. Setting in the doubt.

He gave a laugh as he pushed her forward up the stairs. “Sorry to disappoint you, but I don’t have the Black Circle’s self-esteem issues. Nice try though.” Griffin glowered.

“Self-esteem nothing.” She gave a slight chuckle. “Oh. I get it. You are scared. Because he’s the favorite of the Ancestral Witches and you’re just their errand boy. Just like you were when you assassinated the Monarchy of Obsidian. For them. Disgraceful really.”

She could have smiled at the way his claws twitched on her wrist. (He was still pissed. She could work with that.)

“He does have the Dragon Fire… I guess it’s more important than some Shadow Fire… eh, Phoenix?” She taunted. Darkar paused and shoved her into wall, the painting nearby shaking from the force.

Griffin winced, mentally bracing herself for the burning sensation she knew was to come. (Being boiled alive didn’t sound sooo bad… not when the other option was… Was him.)

Darkar glowered at her, his eyes shining red and flaming. “I should kill you for that. Hell, you should be _dead_ already. But you’re not our problem anymore.” One of his claws jabbed at where the tips of the V showed past her top. “You’re his problem now.”

He pulled her down, hands behind her back. Her heart raced more, the fear of what would happen starting to set in. The reality of what would come.

“Darkar… Don’t do this. Just kill me now and get it over with. Or find some of Mandy’s poisons… I will drink it right now. But don’t… Don’t do this.” She’d resorted to begging. Great… Just great.

(She’d challenge anyone else in her position to not get reduced to having to beg. But even she wasn’t cruel enough to wish this on anyone else.)

“You know she’d never stand for this. Mandragora, and by extension, you, do have _some_ morality.” She tried again.

Darkar gave a laugh. “And that’s where you’re wrong. Sure, Madragora will protect the members of _our_ Coven… But you? No. What is it Zatura’s told you? That you made your bed?” He taunted.

\--------------------FB-----------------------------FB---------------------------

“Let’s go back a second… Why were you so okay with letting Darkar kill you? You’d said it yourself that your death would have been the death of your brother.” Dr. Faye pointed out.

Griffin held her knees tightly, closing her eyes. “I was panicked and trying not to show it… I just knew that when he’d found out… And I knew he would… I’d wish I was dead.” She wiped at her eyes with one of the tissues, shaking her head in a breathless laugh. “As if I hadn’t already…”

“He had a window in his room…. I couldn’t tell for shit how high up we were or how far the ground or the nearest ledge was… But there wasn’t a day I didn’t think of jumping. And the only thing that held me back was remembering I needed to get to the dungeons.” She let out a shaky sigh. “So stupid.”

“Griffin. You were desperately trying to find a way out of an impossible situation. That’s not stupid. It’s a normal reaction. You tried to find a way out, no matter how it presented itself.” Dr. Faye moved a little closer, taking the witch’s hands. “At least you were yourself enough to try and keep fighting back.”

The witch finally looked her doctor in the eyes, amber meeting brown. “But at what cost? Because the prices I kept having to pay… I couldn’t keep that up… I shut down.” She admitted. “I shut down.”

\--------------FB-----------------------------------FB----------------------------

They had made it into the residential halls, Darkar keeping Griffin moving forward, despite her attempts at protest.

A familiar figure was already at the doorway, and Griffin could feel the anger radiating from him, even without her powers. “And just how far did you make it this time?” He asked, voice calm and collected despite it all.

“The dungeon doors.” Darkar told him, shoving Griffin toward him. “You really should keep a better eye on her. Ogron and his Wizards are wandering the halls downstairs. Have been since they picked up that fairy.”

Griffin paused. Fairy. Shit. “Fairy?” She couldn’t stop herself from asking, fear setting in. That place was hard enough for _her_ to survive in without her powers… But a fairy, a being from the light realms…? It’d kill her.

Darkar shrugged. “I’m just going by the new wings and fairy dust vial Gantlos was showing.”

She felt sick, her stomach dropping. (Faragonda… No… No she’d have felt that… They were counterparts. Marion? No. There was no celebration. Dammit who could they have taken?) “Who did they bring in?” She felt hands on her arms, pulling her toward the door.

Griffin struggled, continuing to look to Darkar. “Who did they bring in? Who?” Darkar gave a bit of laugh.

“Worried it’s a friend of yours? My deepest condolences.” Darkar taunted.

She had to bite her cheeks to keep from trying to cast a spell. (Her magic was still cut off… And until she was able to see clearly again, there was a chance of missing.)

Valtor pushed her into the room, the door clicking them. Griffin could feel his anger spiking, a single flame becoming an inferno…. And she’d be the one caught in the aftermath…

\---------------------FB---------------------FB----------------------

“He was that angry with your escape attempt?” Dr. Faye asked, trying to keep Griffin in the moment. (The present. In safety.)

She set her glasses down, wiping at her face. Why did they have to go there? “What’s the point of this?” Griffin finally asked, deciding against answering the doctor’s questions. “My time at Obsidian is irrelevant.”

“I mean…” She paused, putting her glasses back on. “It was the same. Day in and day out. I was interrogated, tortured. Beaten. And yes… My ‘sentence’ took a new turn because someone decided to play god. To stop my execution.”

“And for what? To be a _doll_?” She snipped. “And that day was no different. Granted, it was one of the worse days. Faragonda had apparently beaten him to some gem and because she’s my counterpart, I had to take the brunt of his rage. Add in my escape attempt and he was a damn bomb.”

Griffin moved a bit, rolling up her left pants’ leg. Another tattoo covering a burn, the Sigil of the Valkyries, but the ridges were still there from where the flames had gotten her. Dr. Faye seemed to be holding in her breath. “Why?”

“To remind me. That I was his. That I had nowhere I could go and no one who would help me.” She swallowed, her hands shaking still. “I had no choice. I just had to be compliant.” Her voice started to fade…

_It was worse this time, the flames feeling as if they would engulf her. Her blood was steaming, she could barely move._

_And as soon as the flames seemed to die down, he’d shoved her to the bed, and had her magically held there._

_Reminding her that if her brother was already prisoner, there would be no one else willing to look for her._

_She was just a witch. Not a fairy, not a royal, not important…_

Griffin felt a wave of nausea, shaking her head. “I can’t… I…” She stood and made her way to the door, head down as she headed for her room…

\------------------------------------------------------------

She couldn’t stop shaking, couldn’t stop her erratic breathing… Dammit she was safe. She was safe.

He was dead. They were dead.

And yet….

_She could feel his grip on her, could hear him even now telling her to ‘just relax’. The flames engulfing her._

Griffin wiped at her eyes again, her breath shaky. (She had to stop crying. She had to. It was over. Over and done.)

_The chill in the air would say otherwise. The ice prickling just under her skin, her blood frozen in place._

_She could feel the static around her. Lightning coursing down her back, jump starting her heart right after it had stopped._

_A voice in the dark calling to her, asking her to look into their eyes. To trust them. That it would all be over soon._

\---------------------------------------------------------------

_Rap. Rap. Rap._

Griffin jumped at the noise, her book falling to the floor, energy already bubbling up in her hands.

“Hey… Feel like company?” A familiar voice asked from the behind the door. “I heard you had a rough day…” He paused. “I brought a peace offering…? You know you can’t resist one of Jinxes’ fudge milkshakes… It’s tooth-rottingly sweet…. I won’t tell Palla if you don’t.”

She took a deep breath, trying to find her voice. “It’s open.” She managed. The door creaked open, Salvador stepping inside.

He took one look at her, curled in on her bed with the book in the floor, and set the milkshakes down on her desk. (Of course he’d gotten his own favorite… A simple strawberry.)

Griffin got to her feet, moving to hug her brotherly tightly. She couldn’t stop herself from crying, shaking, but she knew he’d never hold it against her.

Salvador held her tight, kissing the top of her head. “It’s going to be okay, Griff… It’s going to be okay…”


	18. Chapter Seventeen: Magnethia Says Goodbye

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a bit of a happier chapter... Just to break it up.

  1. Magnethia Says Goodbye



Griffin gave a sad smile, sitting at the desk as Magnethia finished packing. “Sorry I wasn’t much… Help the other day…” She apologized, the guilt having ate her alive after Salvador calmed her down.

_Soft voices and murmurs. Promises that she was safe and secure. That she was going to be okay._

The cyan-haired fairy just gave a smile, shaking her head. “Don’t worry about it, Griffin. I know how hard it gets…” She swallowed, running her fingers through her hair. “I know I had a rough time myself…”

“And Hagen is having a rougher time than the rest of us.” Griffin crossed her arms. “But I can’t blame him… Oritel and Marion were his best friends… And Bloom was his goddaughter…”

“He’ll get there… We all just… Need time and motivation.” Magnethia laughed. “I know I’ll be glad to have _real_ food after this. Electronio has promised my favorite meal.” Griffin smirked.

“E knows how to cook?” She teased, pushing her hair back. The fairy laughed.

“I know. I know. Hidden talents.” Magnethia looked down at her form, giving a happy sigh. She was back in her normal clothing: a long-sleeved, light purple sweater and dress pants, something that most Zenithians found 'stylish'. “And I never knew how much I could miss Zenithian wool. Those uniforms they make us wear are so…”

“Airy? Breathable?” Griffin teased. (Zenith was known for being cold, a stark contrast to Magix in the summer. Which lead to some culture shock for the poor fairy. And to her freezing more than most of the others.)

Magnethia stuck her tongue out, crossing her arms. “I don’t see how you’re not freezing cold!” 

Griffin paused at that. That could be considered one… Good thing about having been under Belladonna’s thumb… She developed a high pain tolerance… And a high tolerance to freezing temps. “I guess working with Belladonna will help with that.” She admitted, trying to shrug it off.

The fairy’s eyes widened, as if she’d said something wrong. “I… I’m sorry. I keep bringing things up and-”

“Mags. It’s fine. I’m okay.” She moved to nudge the fairy a bit, to show no ill-will. “Now, today’s supposed to be a great day for you. Relax a bit.”

“You know they’re calling it ‘graduation’? How dumb is that?” Magnethia gave a sort of cut-off laugh. “As if we can just… Move on without repercussions….”

“If you want, I could try to sabotage it… For old times’ sakes.” Griffin teased. “I’m sure it’d lighten the mood.” Magnethia shot her a look.

“Oh hell no. Don’t think I forgot how you sabotaged our graduation at Alfea… You fried my whole system. It took me months to repair that computer! Not to mention the whining from Luna because her dress started to change colors and completely 'clashed with her hair'!” The fairy scolded, her finger wagging at the witch as if she were a child.

Griffin laughed, feeling a little lighter. “I can’t take full credit. Zarathustra and Ediltrude did set up a few spells of their own. Marion’s little trip off-stage? Matlin suddenly unable to find her voice? Alyssa’s plants becoming carnivorous?”

“You left out Niobe’s traditional Androsian dress becoming some sort of medieval gothic look and Faragonda getting tongue-tied on-stage.”

“Oh no. Those I did.” Griffin grinned. “I had to get payback somehow. Or have you forgotten about that trip into Black Mud Swamp?”

Magnethia chuckled. “Those were the days.” She paused. “I hope Tecna will enjoy herself at Alfea as much as I did.”

“Assuming she doesn’t become a witch?” Griffin teased. Magnethia shot her a look, frowning.

“Actually… The odds of her being a witch are quite slim… Maybe in the .5% percentile range? It’d be more likely for her to grow wings.” She flushed when she saw Griffin’s face, realizing the error. “You were just messing with me… Weren’t you?”

Griffin gave a nod, patting Magnethia’s shoulder. “I was… but it’s okay. At least I realize that Tecna will not be part of the dark side.” She gave a smirk. “Now… What would make for a great show is if sweet Princess Stella turned out to be a witch.”

Magnethia laughed out loud, holding her side. “I don’t know if Luna and Radius could handle that.”

“And what would the Solarian Courts think? A witch for an heir.” Griffin looked to the clock. “What time are they coming for you?”

“I…” Magnethia swore. “I think around lunch, but I’m not sure.” Griffin gave a smile.

“Think you and Hagen would be up for a game of Babble?” Magnethia took the witch’s hand.

“If he’s up for it. I’m up for it.”

\---------------------------------------------------------

“There’s no way in hell that’s a word, Griffin. You’ve got to be cheating.” Hagen argued. Griffin just smirked, handing him the dictionary.

“Look it up.” She chuckled, watching as the warrior flipped through the pages.

“Son of a….Petrichor, a pleasant smell that frequently accompanies the first rain after a dry season. What the hell?” Hagen griped, looking to the witch. “Guess it pays to be a bookwork.”

Griffin couldn’t help but give a smug smile. “You have no idea.” Magnethia couldn’t help but snicker.

“Good word, Griffin. Of course, that doesn’t mean you’re going to win this round. I still have a word up my sleeve.” The fairy gave a wink, laying down her tiles.

“I’m never playing this with you two again. Never.” Hagen shook his head, watching as the fairy continued.

“Ta da. Psychotomimetic. It relates to, involves, or induces the psychotic alteration of behaviors and personalities.” Magnethia grinned. “I felt it relevant considering where we are.”

Griffin clapped her hands, half-teasing. “Brava, Mags. Brava. All hail the Queen of Babble.” She chuckled, giving a mock bow.

Hagen laid back, running his hands through his beard. “And here I thought I’d stand a chance.”

“Aww… I’m sure if Fara were here to coddle you...” Griffin teased. He rose up, tugging at her arm playfully, making the witch tip over to her side, chuckling.

“Hey!” She snipped, shoving his hand back. Magnethia couldn’t stop laughing, shaking her head.

“Wow… Seems we’re missing quite the party, huh Little Pixel?” A familiar voice cooed. The laughter from the baby followed, everyone turning to face him. Electronio, holding little Tecna up high.

Magnethia jumped and ran over, hugging them both, Tecna making cooing noises and reaching for her mom. “Hey there, Little Pixel… Hey…” She grinned.

Griffin couldn’t help but smile, watching the little family. Or marvel at how much Tecna had already grown.

She had little curls of pinkish-purplish hair, something that would most likely darken to her father’s shade as she got older. Big blue eyes observing the world around her… And she seemed to know a few words already, babbling ‘mommamamama’ at her mother.

(A part of her felt crushed… Wondering what would have happened if things had been different… How grown Valkyrie would have to be by now.)

_“Are you sure about this, Griffin....? Because if we do this… There’s no way to go back.” Faragonda warned her._

_She handed the bundle to her, having to pry her own fingers loose from the sleeping child. “Just promise me she’ll be going somewhere safe.”_

_Faragonda gave one of her bittersweet smiles. “They’ll be good to her. I promise.”_

“We hate to see you go. I’m going to miss arguing about our games.” Hagen’s booming voice brought her into reality.

He’d moved to hug Magnethia and Electronio, ruffling little Tecna’s hair. “He’s not the only one… I’m going to miss having another woman to talk to.” Griffin teased, getting to her feet.

Magnethia smiled, leaning into her husband. “I’m going to miss you guys too… But I’m not going to miss this place.” She looked to Tecna and Electronio. “Not at all.”

“I know I don’t… It felt… Crowded in here… Too crowded.” Electronio recounted, holding tight to Tecna. “I never did like feeling that way.”

“I’m just glad you’re both out and able to work on… Our little project.” Hagen lowered his voice at the last part.

Magnethia nodded. “Don’t worry… We’re not going to let them get away with this… Marion and Oritel weren’t perfect generals, but they did what they had to do.”

“Amen.”


	19. Chapter Eighteen: Hope of Morning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If it seems choppy a times, it' s on purpose. There is a massive fight going on and Griffin is one of those poor people (like me) who can't see two feet in front of their faces without their glasses. So she's just getting bits and pieces of what's going on around her.
> 
> (Also, highly recommend the song Hope of Morning by Icon for Hire. Just... Trust me.)

  1. Hope of Morning



She paced a bit in front of the therapy room door. After her outburst the last session, she’d been worried about coming back, wondering if Dr. Faye would continue to push the issue.

The clock chimed and she sighed, taking a deep breath and walking inside. (She could do this... She could do this.). Faye was already setting out the notebooks and pens. “Griffin, how are you feeling today? I heard Mrs. Mode got to go home.”

Griffin gave a nod, taking her seat on the couch. “She was thrilled to get back to Zenith, though I feel Hagen and I will miss her.” She bit her lip. “So… Let me guess, you want to delve into what happened Wednesday?” (Might as well bite the bullet and get it over with.)

“Actually… I think you had the right idea. Focusing on… What happened on Obsidian may be more… Detrimental to what we’re going for. I mean…” She paused. “I originally wanted you to just admit that it happened. That it’s one of those things you can’t ignore…”

“And now?” Griffin asked, half-amused. She leaned back and crossed her arms. “What’s your focus now?”

“To make you realize that nothing that happened on Obsidian is your fault.” Faye gave a slight smile. “You may have agreed to the job, but everything that happened after…? That’s on them. Not you.”

Griffin shook her head, wanting to argue. (She’d known the risks. She’d taken the potion. She’d let him hurt her. To protect someone who wasn’t even there.)

But she didn’t. Instead she took a breath. “Great… So… What are you wanting us to talk about then?”

“Your rescue. How did you escape from Obsidian? Who came to help?” Dr. Faye asked, leaning forward a bit.

Griffin swallowed. “It wasn’t exactly an extraction plan… Not so much as it was a full-on raid… A decently planned one... But not the best.”

\-------------------FB---------------------FB---------------------

She was biting down on her lip, trying to refrain from making any sound that could be taken as ‘encouragement’. (She was loathe to admit it, but he did know what he was doing, or at the least, he knew how to work _her_ over.)

“I’ll never understand why you try to fight it. Honestly, you’re just denying yourself in the long run.” He all-but-purred in her ear, teasing her under her dress.

Griffin just glowered, or at least, glowered as best she could with the flush she knew she had to have on her cheeks and the way her breathing was betraying her.

_Crash. Boom. Clash._

Shouting and yelling could be heard through the walls, getting louder and louder by the second.

Valtor paused, listening carefully. “I wonder if the Black Circle finally got tired of each other…?” He mused, raising up a bit.

Griffin gave a sigh of relief as he moved away from her, to check outside the room. (It may only be a short reprieve, but it was needed. She felt way to warm and way to slick to keep from giving in.)

 _Thunk_.

She nearly jumped out of her skin when Valtor flew into, and broke, his dresser, the structure falling on him.

The door was wide open now, a slight figure standing in the doorway, something move fast behind them. (Wings? Were those wings? No… No. Couldn’t be.)

Griffin stayed where she was, unsure if this was another of Lysslis’ games or not, her heart skipping a beat when the figure turned.

“Griffin? Oh dragons you’re alive!” A familiar voice all-but cried out, the figure rushing to her.

(If this was one of Lysslis’ illusions, it was a damn good one. It looked just like Faragonda standing there. Her brunette hair elongated into two braids, a flowing blue off-the-shoulder top and skirt to match, wings fluttering fast, bits of fairy dust falling about.)

“I mean…. I knew you had to be. It’s part of the reason we’re… You know what, we should just go.” She extended a gloved hand to Griffin, waiting for the witch to take it.

Griffin paused, her heart skipping beats. (This could be it. Or it could be a trap.)

“That’s a good imitation of a fairy, Lysslis… But… I’m not falling for that again.” She finally managed to make herself say, moving off the bed and straightening her dress back up. “I’m not falling for it. Not this time.”

\--------------------------FB----------------------------------FB-----------------------

“So you didn’t believe that your friend had come to save you?” Dr. Faye asked. Griffin shook her head.

“No. Lysslis was a master manipulator and even better with her hallucinations. I wouldn’t have put it passed her to taunt me with escape like that. I just… I couldn’t let myself believe it.” Griffin admitted, leaning back a bit. “And… I felt bad, when…. When I found out that it was Faragonda, but I just…”

“Couldn’t risk it? Which is perfectly understandable. I mean, you’d witnessed several occasions were Lysslis did something like that, why wouldn’t she try with you?”

“Exactly!” Griffin pushed her hair out of her face. “Exactly… And I wouldn’t have put it passed him to… To let her mess with me like that. Something else to throw in my face…” She swallowed. “And I just knew that if I had went with her, and she wasn’t real, I’d pay for it… Or Salvador would have… I couldn’t… I couldn’t risk that.”

\--------------------------FB--------------------------------FB-------------------------

A familiar laugh made her skin crawl, her arms going to wrap around herself. Valtor got to his feet, dusting himself off. “See, Faragonda…? She’s made her choice. If you fly along now, I might forgive you for that sucker-blast you pulled.”

Griffin could sense a change in the air, could hear more fighting outside the room and around them. (Saladin… She could hear Saladin in particular casting against someone.)

“Griffin… I don’t know what the hell they’ve done to you here, but I’m real.” She could hear ‘Faragonda’s’ voice, those wings (yes, wings) fluttering faster. She flew between Griffin and Valtor, channeling another blast. “She’s going home!” She fired at Valtor, the wizard making a move to dodge.

“She is home.” He snarled from the doorway. (Like hell she was.)

Faragonda(?) turned around. “Griffin. Look at me. Do you remember how I got my Charmix? I got it because I went into the Crypt of Cloud Tower with you, despite my claustrophobia. We exorcised the demon that Griselda accidentally summoned. Remember?” She sounded desperate. And… It was true.

Griffin remembered vividly how proud the fairy had been to get the pendant and bag, how she was unbearable to deal with for months after. “Fara.” She hugged the fairy tight, almost afraid to let go. (It was real. Dragons it was real.)

“How touching. Neither one of you are leaving this castle, however. I’m sure Gantlos or Duman one would love to add your wings to their collection.” Valtor taunted, a blast separating Faragonda and Grifffin, the fairy hitting the wall.

“Fara!” Griffin felt her heart race, rushing toward the fairy when a hand grabbed her wrist. “Let me go!” She struggled against him.

“Of course. After we call Duman. I think you need to see a dewinging in person. Make you remember who you’re dealing with.” Valtor growled in her ear, pulling her tight to him. She was about to retort when a blast forced him to let her go, Faragonda getting to her feet.

“Do you know why my powers still worked at Cloud Tower, even when the building would drain the energy from other fairies, Valtor?” Faragonda asked, that edge in her voice something Griffin hadn’t heard in a while. (Not since they’d both caught Saladin double-timing them and they’d turned him into a goat for a few weeks.)

“Because I was raised as a witch, even enrolled in Cloud Tower’s programs… Until my wings sprouted during orientation. But I never did lose that edge I had.” Griffin could feel the pull of negative energy from Faragonda, a force powerful enough to send Valtor through the walls.

The fairy took a breath before grabbing Griffin’s wrist. “Come on, we’ve got to get to the ships.” She started toward the door when Griffin stopped.

“I can’t leave the room. There’s a spell…” Griffin started. Faragonda got up close, a little fairy dust in her hand.

A few sprinkles around the doorframe and the witch, and the spell was no more. “Come on, before he finds his footing.”

\----------------------------------------------------------

She hated having to rely on Faragonda to see where they were going, and she hated even more not having her powers to join in the fray.

The clashing of swords, the casting of spells, fairy dust and negative energy all in the air. Intoxicating really.

“We need to stop by the dungeons. We’ve got to get Sal.” Griffin grabbed the fairy’s wrist, tugging her toward a door. “We can’t just leave him.”

Faragonda seemed confused, but she place her hand on Griffin’s. “Look, I did what I said I’d do, I found you, alive. Now we’ve got to get out of here.”

“But Salvador.”

“Is fine. I promise, Griffin, he’s okay. We’ll see him back at the Fortress.” Faragonda assured her, all but dragging her out of the castle and into the courtyard.

She could see a bright and shining light sending a few of the shadow creatures flying back, Radius and Luna at the center. Alyssa and Rhodos had control of the plant life, using it poison anyone who got too close.

Five ships were stationed, blasting and returning fire against the castle’s defenses. “The hell were you guys planning?” Griffin asked, half-amazed and half-terrified. (Their plan was all wrong and much too reckless, but it was a nice gesture. If it didn’t get them all killed.)

“We’re raiding the place. Thanks to your last correspondence, we managed to pinpoint where they kept the artifacts they stole… Which means we can take them down a peg.” Faragonda sounded proud, flying closer to the ships.

One of them opened their hatch, a rope ladder extending down. “All aboard!” Codatorta teased. “One way trip to the Infirmary right here!” He teased.

Griffin grabbed hold, letting the ship bring her aboard as Faragonda flew up. Normally she'd have climbed, but... She couldn't make out the rungs or the steps, and she did not feel like falling to her death. Not this close to freedom.

Once on the ship, Griffin took a deep breath. Relief filled her. (Free. She was free. Well… Mostly free.)

“Anyone know how to get this off?” She asked, getting to her feet. She stumbled a bit, sore and dizzy. (And blind. Very blind. So many moving blobs… She felt sick.)

“Just hold still and-” Griffin turned to swing at the voice behind her, having jumped at the touch. “Okay… So we’re jumpy… Which is to be expected… You were gone for a year and…” It was Electronio… Just Electronio… and… What?

“A year?” She asked, her voice breaking. “What do you mean a year?”

“Griffin… Take a breath…. We’ll talk about it more after we get you back to the Fortress and Ofelia can check you out…” Faragonda tried to soothe her, the fairy taking her hands.

Griffin shook her head, pulling away from Faragonda. “No. I want an answer. Have I honestly been gone a year?” She asked, that tightness in her chest starting again.

Electronio gave a sigh. “Yes…. Well… Almost… In a few days it would be a year since you went radio-silent… Most of us… May have thought you dead… Well… Except for Salvador and Faragonda… Who turned out to be right… But it’s still impressive… Do you know what the odds were of you dying there?”

\--------------------------------FB--------------------------FB----------------------

“A year? You lost a whole year to Obsidian?” Dr. Faye bit her lip, looking to her notes. “I mean, you survived. Electronio was right, you certainly beat the odds.” Griffin shook her head, pulling her legs to her chest.

“I got lucky. That’s all. Lucky that I knew how to play their games, that I knew what to say and when.” She bit her lip. “Others… hadn’t be quite so lucky….” Dione. Lena. Jordan. Carmen. All of them died in their cells. All of them lost in a war that never should have been.

\-----------------------------FB----------------------------FB--------------------------

Electronio had started his calculations already, a digi-pad opening up to show his work as he punched in the formulas.

“E! Not the time. Let the witch rest.” Codatorta scolded. “She’s already panicking.”

“I’m not panicking. I’m….” She swore, trying to calm herself down, pacing the floors as the ship became steady in flight. “I’m trying to process the fact I’ve been gone so long…” Salvador… She needed to talk to him. Make sense of this… And…

He was probably wounded too… There was no telling what they’d done to him. “Where’s Salvador? I need to talk to him… I… Did you guys find him?” She asked.

“According ta Saladin, we found a lotta people. And they’re all goin’ where you are. The infirmary. Now, as the pilot of this ship, please take a seat and try to rest. Yer pacing is making _me_ nervous.” Codatorta asked.

Fine. Okay. So he was with Saladin. Good. She could work with that. She could _live_ with that.

Faragonda helped her to her seat. “How long have you been running around blind?” Faragonda asked, her tone attempting to be teasing, but far too laced with concern.

“Apparently a year.” Griffin snarked, rubbing her face in her hands. A year. A year gone. A year of… Of that.

She could hear footsteps coming up to her. “May I try to remove the jewelry now? Or will you try to blast me with your non-powers again?” Electronio asked, getting to where she could see him.

He’d aged a bit over the year, his beard having grown out and… His eyes looked so tired. And drained. (Electronio was always so bright with life, especially when he was ‘nerding out’… But now…?)

“Sorry… I…” She paused. “I haven’t really been myself in a while.” She admitted, rolling up her dress’ sleeve and extending her arm. He took hold, a small volt of electricity wiring through, the bracelet falling uselessly to the floor.

Connected. She felt connected again. It was like… Her heart restarting, her pulse racing as she felt the magic coming alive under her fingertips, the sparks at her command.

Back. She was back. She was safe. And her brother was okay…. Seemed the dragons really did care… Even for a witch.

\---------------------------FB---------------------------------------FB-------------------------------

“I bet it was wonderful, having your powers back.” Dr. Faye gave a smile. “But I bet it felt a little strange at first, suddenly being connected again?”

“It was… Like getting my powers the first time… A feel of shock and power… The realms at my fingertips… It was…” Griffin gave a slight smile. “It was great…”

Faye shifted in her seat. “So what happened back at the Fortress? Did you have a happy reunion with the others or did they take you straight to the infirmary?”

“The infirmary… Which… Led to a few complications…” Griffin admitted, her smile dropping.

_Dammit she wanted to see Salvador right then. She needed to make sure he was okay… Had to make sure._

_But Ofelia was being difficult. Why couldn’t she just get out of the way? She’d come right back. She promised she would. She just needed to talk to Salvador._


	20. Chapter Nineteen: Taste The Hope

  1. Taste The Hope



“Griffin, I’m only going to say this once, you’ll see your brother when we’re done here. But right now, I need to give you an exam and make sure you don’t have any unattended injuries. We can’t have you getting an infection.” Ofelia told her, stern and in charge.

The witch glared. “No… You don’t understand, I need to see my brother. Now. Please. Just…” she softened. “Please let me see him. I promise I’ll come right back.”

Ofelia took a breath. “Griffin. Protocols are in place for a reason. Now I need to examine you.” She walked in front of Griffin, making sure the witch could see her. “Everyone involved in the raid is getting examined. Which includes your brother. Now… If you’re going to continue being difficult…” She waved her hands, a warm fuzzy feeling going over Griffin, putting her in a haze of sorts.

A sedation spell. Something medics usually only used for belligerent or forceful patients. (Which, Griffin could be considered one…)

Her mind hazed a bit, a feeling of calm going over her. Ofelia sighed. “Now… I know this is going to sound intrusive, but I need you to remove your dress so I can get a good look. You’ve been on that dragon-forsaken planet for so long, and I doubt you had adequate medical care.”

Griffin felt herself fighting against the compulsion to do as Ofelia said. “I don’t want to… I… Don’t make me.” She found herself whispering. (Ofelia. It was Ofelia dammit. She wasn’t going to hurt her… She was a doctor… A good friend…)

Ofelia paused, seeming to take a mental note of Griffin’s state. “Griffin… Please. I have to make sure you don’t have any pressing injuries. We don’t want you die from an infection or internal bleeding. Do we?”

No. No. To die now, after she’d finally gotten free? That’d be a slap in the face. “Fine.” She moved closer to the infirmary bed, using her own magic to help her get rid of the dress, bracing herself when Ofelia audibly gasped.

Griffin paused, feeling Ofelia trail a hand down her back. “Tharma… She wasn’t too happy with me.” Griffin found herself detailing the scars Ofelia touched. Then there was the space on the back of her neck. “Duman. Or Mandragora… I think.” She couldn’t remember anymore… Not really.

“Seems you have a frostbite scar here and here.” Ofelia placed a hand at her sides. “Do they hurt still?”

“No…. Belladonna knew what she was doing…”

Ofelia moved to her front, taking in the scars there, eyes focusing on the mark on her chest and the one at her leg. “Griffin… What happened there?”

\---------------------FB----------------------------FB-----------------------------

“So you told Ofelia everything? Or was she just really good at guessing?” Dr. Faye asked. Griffin swallowed.

“I told her. Not in any details but… Just enough… That spell... Made it easier to say what needed to be said.” She pulled her legs up close, closing her eyes. “I still couldn’t see much, but I could _feel_ her demeanor change once I started talking. She… She was always so stern with the rest of us… Forcing us to get medical care for even the slightest of cuts because infection was so prevalent… But after that…”

“She handled you with kid gloves?” Faye finished the thought. Griffin sighed, leaning back.

“She acted like I was going to break… Which…. I mean….” She paused. “I might have. But I still hated being… Coddled.” She gave breathless laugh. “I hated it so much… And she wasn’t the only one… Faragonda was always touchy-feely, but she just got worse after… She found out.”

“You told Faragonda…?”

“Didn’t have to. Considering how she found me, she’d put two and two together. Fara’s… Eternally optimistic and maybe just this side of naïve… But she’s far from stupid or clueless.” Griffin answered. “She knew and she did ask me about it, outright… And then came the onslaught of forced affection from her.” She shook her head.

“I appreciated her gestures…. But… It was almost too much too soon.” Griffin swallowed. “And then of course… There was… talking to my brother….”

“How did that reunion go?”

“Not how I’d planned….”

\---------------------FB--------------------------------------FB---------------------------

Griffin wanted to complain and fight Ofelia on this… But the medic had told her she needed mandatory rest.

So there she was, laying on the infirmary bed, trying to count ceiling tiles that she couldn’t fucking see.

“Did someone order spare glasses?” A familiar voice teased, walking into her room. Salvador. She couldn’t stop herself from getting out of the bed, running to hug him. “I missed you too!” He laughed, hugging her close.

She tried to not to tense as she held him close, relief just flooding her. (Her brother was safe. Alive. And in front of her. She’d done it. She’d kept him safe.) “I’m so glad you’re okay.” She whispered.

“Glad I’m okay? What about you? Griffin…” He pulled away, looking at her. “I was so scared… I thought…” He paused. “I mean… I’d promised Dad I’d watch out for you and then you just went radio-silent and then…” He shook his head and pulled her close again. “Little Sister you’re alive.” Salvador laughed, a bit breathless and humorless. “You’re alive.”

Griffin held tight. “I am. And so are you.” She pulled away, giving him a look. “You said you had my spares?”

He chuckled and pulled out a glasses case. “Here, I’m sure you need these.” She happily put her glasses on, so glad to finally be able to see

(At first… Her brother looked worse for wear, like he hadn’t been sleeping well… Hair mussed and face scratched. A bandage around his left arm.)

She glowered. “He said you’d be okay… I mean… I know he’s a liar but… Surely he would have kept his word about that…” She muttered, looking him over. Salvador gave a confused look.

“What are you talking about? Who said I’d be okay?” Salvador asked.

She gave him a look. “You know what I’m talking about. Obsidian? Did they hurt you?”

“It was a raid. And we were all fighting. Though Saladin and I do make a pretty good team, if I do say so myself.” Salvador gave a smile. “You proud of my plan? I put it all together using your notes… Granted, it was a bit more… Flashy than you prefer… But it worked.”

His plan? How?

“How did you make a plan behind bars?” Griffin asked. “Better yet, how did you even get it to the others?”

Salvador looked more and more confused. “Griffin? What the hell are you talking about? I’ve been working behind the scenes… The first time I went to Obsidian was this morning.” Griffin felt her stomach drop.

“You’ve never been to Obsidian? Not until today…?” She asked, needing clarification.

“That’s right.” He frowned, looking his sister over. “What happened out there Griffin? What…?”

She felt sick. “I… I knew it… But I couldn’t risk it being… How could….” She swallowed deeply, bile rising. “I’m so… I should have known.”

“Known wha-”

She didn’t hear the rest of it, running to the bathroom nearby. She couldn’t stop from throwing up in one of the stalls, that sickening feeling just gripping her tightly.

(Shower. She really needed a shower… But Ofelia insisted on waiting until she was done with her tests…)

Griffin set her glasses aside, the tears falling as she tried to get herself together. How could she be so stupid? How could she just let him have his way like that? She should’ve ended it that night. She should have just used the athame on herself right then.

The door opened and she could hear footsteps getting closer and closer to her. “Griffin? I’m not going to pretend I know what happened… But I know you’re safe now. That’s all we can hope for… Right?” Her brother whispered to her, getting down to her level.

He had a washcloth, helping her wipe her face. “You’re safe and there’s not a damn thing they can do to you here.” She shook, moving to hold tight to him.

“Sal… I let him… I…” She almost couldn’t find the words. “He raped me… I thought… I was protecting you and he was lying and…” She sobbed, all of her resolve breaking. A year’s worth of building walls, gone.

He just held her tight, murmuring softly and trying to keep her calm. “It’s okay to let it out… It’s okay. You… You only did what you thought you had to do. There’s no shame in that.”

Griffin just held to him, terrified of letting him go again. Terrified of what would happen if she did let him go.

\--------------------------FB----------------------------------------FB-------------------

Faye bit her lip. “What happened after? How… Did your brother take the news?” Griffin swallowed.

“I was still forced to stay in the infirmary… Up until the… Tests came back. But… I heard from Saladin and Faragonda that he and Oritel got into a fight about it…” She took a breath. “And then there was… The others.”

“I had a few people at a time coming to check on me. Zarathustra and Ediltrude, Faragonda, Saladin, Salvador… Palladium.” She groaned. “The questions, the catching up… It was… Something. I was so tired after… I even… Managed to get a decent night’s sleep… For the first time in… A year.” She started to raise up. “And I think that’s time…?”

“It is.” Faye agreed, looking to the clock. “Of course… When we come back on Monday…”

“I’ll have to discuss the tests?” Griffin felt her heart sink a bit. (She’d hope she could skip that.)

“More like your reactions to the tests… Considering I’ve got the results. Remember? Your medical records were sent over.” Faye reminded her. Griffin sighed.

“Right. Right…”


	21. Chapter Twenty: Rest and Recover

  1. Rest and Recover



_A piercing cry cut through her body, her heart racing and body trying to find the source. Cackling could be heard in the distance, golden eyes shining in the dark._

_“Tick. Tock. Can you get to her before we do?” Lysslis’ voice spoke over the cry. “Can you save her before she’s corrupted?”_

_“Wonder if she’ll be her_ father’s _daughter.” Belladonna taunted. Griffin tried to keep her breathing steady, focusing on where the cry was coming from._

_She had to find her first, had to protect her._

_She had to._

\-----------------------------------------------------------

Griffin walked into the common room, tilting her head a bit when she saw Hagen playing a solo game of chess. “Which version?”

“Dominian Proper. And I’m losing. To a damn computer.” Hagen snarled. “But I’ve got to have something to focus on…”

She eyed the board, noticing a few similarities to… “Are you replicating the final battle?” She whispered, looking to the wizard. He swallowed, looking away.

“There had to be something we could have done… They just…. Griffin there weren’t even bodies except _his_. But Marion and Oritel just… Vanished? How does that even work?” Hagen asked, eyes refusing to meet hers. “How can they just disappear?”

“Hagen… There was a massive explosion. It killed the Ancestral Witches or banished them to Oblivion… And Marion and Oritel just happened to be in the crossfire…” Griffin reminded him. (That was the working theory anyway… Magnethia and Electronio tried to do a computer-generated simulation of what happened using evidence from the fight… Nothing else made sense.)

“And _he_ just ended up being shattered into ice?” Hagen asked, giving her a look. She swallowed, taking a seat in the nearby chair.

“At least we don’t have to worry about a repeat appearance.” She reminded him, looking the board over again. Dragons facing each other, the Black Queen near facing off against the White one. “It’s just like Maggie and E’s simulation thing… A stalemate. Equal forces of power that all end the same. Oblivion… Or Heaven and Hell. Depending on your religious leanings.”

She never could remember who was and who wasn’t religious… Everything just… Ran together these days.

Hagen growled. “Reset the board.” He commanded. The pieces dissolved back into pixels before coming back into view of their starting points. “I’d ask to play you, but I remember how you did Saladin…”

She gave a slight smile, crossing her arms. “He shouldn’t have been so cocky… And he shouldn’t have put credits on it.” She gave a little chuckle. “At least his loss funded one of my better projects…”

“Which was?”

“A preservation potion for the Undines in Black Mud Swamp…” She sighed. “I know it sounds… Ridiculous, but they were in need of a food source… Or they’d have left. And if they left Black Mud Swamp…”

“Everything else would die…? And that would make certain classes that much harder?” Hagen offered. Griffin groaned.

“I’m just glad Alyssa and Rhodos were on my side with that one… Though, I personally believe Alyssa could have strong-armed the Council about that all on her own. Have you ever _seen_ her mad?” Griffin asked.

Hagen gave a solemn nod. “I have… And ain’t pretty… I’ve seen her take control of at least 100 plants at once to form some sort of swamp monster… She used that thing to literally drain the magic out of a few Coven members.”

Griffin gave a slight laugh. “She was the one I always wanted to take down first. Once Alyssa was down, then you aim for Marion and the rest will follow.”

“Solid plan. Glad you didn’t tell the Coven that.” Hagen half-teased. Griffin snorted.

“I gave them plenty of solid plans to beat you… I mean, I had to make it look good.” She pointed out. Hagen raised his hand, pulling his glove down so she could see one of his scars.

“I’m well-aware. You fucking stabbed me on Pyros, remember?” He fixed his glove. “I was so pissed.”

“Like I said. I had to make it look good.” She shrugged. “And I don’t even know what you’re complaining about… One little stab is nothing compared to the beating I got from Belladonna when I got back. Now she was _pissed_ because I didn’t kill you when I had the chance. And she didn’t buy my spiel about it not being a worthy way to dispose of you.”

Hagen winced a bit. “How in the hell did you manage to keep your cover with those people?” Griffin paused for a moment.

That’s not something she’d really thought about… Not… Not _really._

She knew why she stuck it out with her imprisonment, she had her brother’s life on the line (or so she thought).

It had started off being about her research, but… It evolved to more at some point… When she saw just how cruel they could be firsthand. “I wanted to stop them, by any means necessary. I mean… Sure, Oritel offered to help my research, and that was a major reason for me but…”

“But after I’d ‘joined’ with them and I saw how they completely destroyed the planet Rezz… I… I couldn’t just let them get away with it. It’s why I started doing more… Sabotage… Misplacing plans, swapping realms to ‘conquer’, swapping team members out…” She bit her lip. “And it still wasn’t enough…”

Hagen sighed, looking toward the window. “Nothing any of us could do was enough… We needed a miracle… We got shit.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They were watching the tail-end of the news, shaking their heads at one of the headlines. “I have no idea why they think they can keep this all quiet… I mean, everyone involved in the Company that has any sort of platform has been talking about the shit they did… It’s going to come out.” Hagen glowered.

Griffin sighed, taking a sip of the tea Alyssa had sent. (Supposedly a new strand of chamomile for ‘sweet dreams’. She thought she’d try it for herself.) “Hey, let the Council add more rope to their noose. They’ll hang all the same.”

“Still… Why are they even trying?”

“Because if they didn’t, it’d look even worse.” She gestured to the center of the screen, at Councilman Yeerka. “Which, they know they’ve been had. Look at their posture. Their eyes. I’ve see this look so many times the past few years… They know the end is coming.”

Hagen growled. “I just hope we’ll be there for the big showdown.”

“It won’t be a physical battle. It’ll be a political one. You know that, right?” Griffin half-teased. The wizard snorted, pushing his hair back as he sat up straighter.

“You forget, I was the right-hand advisor to Oritel, on the field and off.” He countered. Griffin hummed.

“Right. I’d almost forgotten…” She sighed, moving to set her cup down. “But you realize that to be part of those discussions, you have to get out of here… Right? Preferably before Faragonda decides you’re a lost cause.”

Hagen looked down, sheepish. “I want to get out. I do… but I just… Talking about the shit that went down at there… To a stranger…? How… How am I supposed to get them to understand? Am I supposed to justify myself? Or just… Be judged?”

Griffin shook her head, taking his hand. “It’s nothing like that. I mean… Yeah… Talking to someone who has no idea what the hell we went through except what’s been told in the news is hard… But it also means getting a fresh perspective on what happened…” She winced at her words, turning up her nose.

“Great…. Now I sound like Salvador…” She groaned, putting her face in her hands. “Kill me now.”

Hagen laughed, shaking his head. “Don’t be hard on him. He’s always had good points.”

“Yeah… The touchy-feely ones.” She shook her head.

“That’s why you work so well together. He’s the emotion. You’re the bitch.” Hagen teased. Griffin glowered, hitting him with one of the couch’s pillows.

“Asshole.”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She laid down on her bed, closing her eyes tight. Maybe this time she’d get to have some real sleep…

Griffin had done everything she could to ‘relax’. She socialized and teased Hagen, she took the damn tea, and she even did a little meditation… If this didn’t work….

If this didn’t work, she was going to have some serious words with her brother and Alyssa. Something had to give.


	22. Chapter Twenty-One: Coming Together

  1. Coming Together



Griffin couldn't stand the silence anymore and set her book down, pulling her legs up under her. “Hagen… You ever think about what you’re going to do after we manage to get out of here?” She asked, looking over to where the wizard was duking it out with the chess-board. (And winning from the looks of the pieces.)

He frowned over at her, face scrunched a bit. “You mean, if we manage to get out and they don’t decide to keep us as formal attractions?” Hagen half-teased. Griffin snorted.

“I’m being serious here, Hagen. Or have you even thought about the future after this?” Griffin asked. He sighed, leaning back in the chair.

“I could always go back to my home-realm. Work on the forge again… I’m sure there are plenty of realms who could use updates for their armies’ armor.” He hummed. “Or perhaps one of our more royal friends is in need of an advisor?”

He moved his knight over, glowering as the computer managed to trap it. “Of fucking course.” He growled, shutting it down and shifting to look at Griffin. “What about you? You’ve given it much thought?”

She shrugged, wracking her brain. “I thought of opening a bookstore on my realm or seeing if the library here needed assistance… Or…” She leaned back a bit. “Faragonda mentioned an opening for a defense teacher at CT… If Headmistress Lenore isn’t still pissed with me…” She chuckled, thinking of the last time she and the Headmistress faced off. She'd just started working on her research into the Balance when the Headmistress reminded her about what the Council had said about it, and well... Griffin was never much for complacency. 

Hagen shook his head, trying not to laugh. “I heard about that argument… You really call your Head spineless?” She flushed a bit, giving a sheepish smile.

“She was letting the Council walk all over her… And it didn’t help that the other heads didn’t seem to care… I just… It slipped.” She groaned. “Oh I screwed that opportunity up… Didn’t I?”

“Maybe just a tad… But after all this gets settled…. She may just forgive you.” Hagen cocked his head a bit. “You never know.”

“No we don’t…” She agreed, looking toward the television. The news was playing, the Council still trying to deflect questions about the hearing and the allegations against them. “Do you have an escape plan? Just in case we don’t get to leave before the hearing?”

“That depends. How comfortable are you with spelling half the staff with a sleep spell and stealing their keys?” Hagen asked.

“Considering the shit I’ve already done? Pretty comfortable.” She admitted, pausing for a moment. (Well… It wasn’t as if she’d be hurting them… Just… Casting a simple sleep spell… And stealing keys was not nearly as bad as stealing artifacts… And it was for a good reason….)

\-------------------------------------------------------------------

Hagen grinned and gestured to the door. “Look who came to see us, Griffin. Saladin, where have you been?” He asked, moving to hug the smaller wizard.

Saladin gave a slight laugh, shaking his head. “I was in the neighborhood… And had a little news to share… So I felt I should stop by.” He gave a wave to Griffin, the witch moving to hug him.

“It’s good to see you. How’ve you been doing?” She asked, searching his dark eyes. Saladin hadn’t been dealt a good hand in the war… So much was stolen from him in a single instance.

Amelia had been one of the first deaths in the war, and she had been the love of his life. Then Matlin and Dione had died… Followed by Leah and Logan. Tanner. Oritel. Marion. (Hell, all of Domino and Rezz were gone.)

Add in Maeve’s banshee wail that whitened his dark hair and made him physically frailer than he had ever been… And it was a bit much.

(It was no wonder after everything had been said and done he couldn’t be found. He’d taken a ‘sabbatical’ to Callisto until the Council found him and brought him into the therapy… And after he’d gotten out of there… Another 'sabbatical'. To Pyros.)

“I’ve been better, not going to lie.” He gave a slight smile. “But I’m doing better than some… I mean, you poor shmucks are still stuck here.” Saladin teased.

Griffin snorted, moving back to the couch, taking her seat. “According to the Council, we’re here voluntarily.” She pitched her voice, mocking Councilman Givelian’s. “The Army known as the Company of Light has decided to decompress themselves to process all that has happened during the past few years. Please know our thoughts are with them as they go through this difficult time.”

Hagen couldn’t help but laugh. “Now there was a joke. Them actually giving a damn about us.”

Saladin shook his head. “They’re actually part of why I came here.” He moved to sit beside Griffin, pulling out a few pieces of paper, letters with the Council’s insignia. “We read over what they’d sent to the Ancestral Witches and… Let’s just say there’s a reason they didn’t want to help us out.”

Griffin took one of the letters, skimming over it. “Those bastards… They purposefully ostracized dark magic users so those bitches could recruit them…” She felt her anger rising, her power itching to be released. She set the letter down, glowering.

“It was the perfect plan… You anger and outcast enough in a group, and you can easily create fanatics…” She shook her head, disbelief catching in her breath. “All because they were so scared of the Ancestral Witches and wanted to assure their own protection.”

“Which is why they wanted us trapped in here… So we couldn’t find out and we’d be less likely to go hunting for clues, figuring we’d be to shaken to look deeper and they could pretend like nothing happened.” Hagen growled. “I say we check ourselves out and head straight for the Council building.”

Saladin raised his hand. “I don’t think that’ll be necessary, Hagen… We’ve already built a strong case for the hearing and Palladium is currently working on a truth potion we could… Slip into their drinks during the hearing.”

Griffin paused, letting that comment sink in. A slight laugh escaped, her head shaking as she pushed her glasses up. “Palladium? Is working on drugging the Council? Palladium? Sweet, innocent Palladium?” She shook her head.

“My brother’s done it… He’s managed to corrupt a woodland elf.” She snickered. Hagen chuckled.

“Is it really corruption if love is involved though? I mean, they did have that lovely service.” Hagen managed to speak.

“And the best food. I remember being unable to walk for a while.” Saladin admitted, leaning back. “Of course… Elven courses are higher intake than most….”

Griffin turned to face Saladin, about to retort when one of the papers caught her eye. “That’s a release form… For what?”

Saladin swore. “Right… That’s another reason I’m here…” He pulled it out, handing it to Griffin. “Your brother and Faragonda finished putting your research together in a coherent report, as per their authority as your proxies. Now… The plan, if you agree to it, is to blindside the Council by going ahead and publishing it. You sign there, and the report will be spread by our Company friends before the Council even wakes up tomorrow.”

Griffin gave a smile. “Anyone have a pen on them?”


	23. Chapter Twenty-Two: Not Part of the Plan

  1. Not Part of the Plan



“So I hear ‘congratulations’ are in order?” Dr. Faye smiled, welcoming Griffin into the room. The witch gave a little smile, taking her seat on the couch.

“Just a tad… Though I know the Council is scrambling to try and discredit me. Which… I wish them luck, considering every living member of the Company of Light has witnessed the same phenomena I have with the balance.” Griffin leaned back. “It’s been a good day.” She chuckled.

Faye gave a nod and laugh. “I can tell. And I’m sure your friends are thrilled for you.” Griffin smiled.

“I know my brother is. It means he gets his study back.” She chuckled. Faye shook her head, snickering.

“Oh boys…” She moved to get the notebooks and pens. “Time to bring it in though… We were going to find out about your tests from Ofelia?”

Griffin paused, feeling her smile drop. “Right…. That….” She swallowed. “I didn’t really get those back until later that week. Things were crazy after the raid and there were so many injured… Not to mention she wanted me in observation at the infirmary, to make sure there weren’t any hidden injuries…”

\-----------------------FB---------------------------FB----------------------

Griffin was sitting up on the infirmary bed, tilting her head toward Zarathustra. “Please tell me you’re joking. First I miss Radius and Luna being coronated as the King and Queen of Solaria… Then I miss Salvador and Oritel fighting? And now you tell me that I’ve missed Niobe snapping that iron control of hers?” She groaned, shaking her head. “I missed _everything_.”

“Not everything. I mean… Zarathustra’s still pining for Griselda instead of actually talking to her.” Ediltrude teased, looking to her sister.

Zarathustra snorted, a flush coming to her features. “I am not pining over a pixie. That’s absolutely ridiculous.” She argued.

“Sure it is.” Ediltrude chuckled, looking to Griffin. “Tell her she’s pining.”

Griffin shook her head, pinching the bridge of her nose. “You know… Compared to your squabbling… A cell on Obsidian isn’t so bad.” Both witches gave scandalized looks, making Griffin laugh at the looks on their faces.

(Normal. This was what she needed. Normalcy.)

“When are you going back into the field anyway?” Zarathustra asked. “Not going to lie, I’d rather follow your lead than Marion’s.”

The purple-haired witch shrugged. “Whenever I get my results back. Ofelia… Was very clear that I’m not supposed to do anything dangerous.” She sighed. “So here I’ve been… Playing catch-up on the year I’ve missed.”

Ediltrude shook her head. “We should have been your backup on that.” Griffin shook her head.

“No. No. There were things that happened there…. If anything had happened to the two of you…” She swallowed. “Just no. It’s… It was a good thing I was on my own.”

“I just can’t believe Zatura didn’t try to help you out. She was our friend.” Zarathustra huffed. Griffin shook her head. _‘You made your bed._ ’

“Zatura isn’t herself anymore. I… I didn’t even recognize her at the end there… She’s… She’s too far gone.” Griffin told them.

“Then it’s a good thing she’s headed for trial already.” Ediltrude spoke, moving out of her chair to grab a glass of water.

“Trial? She’s been caught?”

“Several members were caught during the raid. Zatura and the Black Circle were the heavy-hitters we took out though.” Zarathustra told her. Griffin gave a sigh of relief.

“Good. Good…” She didn’t have to worry about them. They were captured, set up for trial, and no longer a problem.

The door opened up, Ofelia walking in. She had that look on her face, like she’d been unable to process what she’s seen. “Griffin… So… I have good news and bad news… Um…” She turned to the other witches. “May we have the room?”

Zarathustra and Ediltrude gave a nod, looking to Griffin. “See you later.”

“Go for the good news first.” Ediltrude winked, walking out. Ofelia took a breath, looking over her files.

“So… I’ve ran these tests over and over, so I know they’re accurate… And…” She swallowed. “And I’m not sure how to say any of this…”

Griffin felt her blood go cold, nausea rising. “Just tell me. Good news first I guess…? If there really is good news?”

“You’re healthy… Physically speaking. All your wounds seemed to have healed well-enough….” Ofelia started.

“But…?” Griffin stood. “Come on. I can take it.” Ofelia handed her the papers.

“Just… Read for yourself.”

\------------------------FB----------------------------------FB----------------------------

“I was pregnant…” Griffin spoke softly, just barely above a whisper. Her hand came to her stomach, like it had that day. “I was pregnant…”

Faye seemed to pause. “What ran through your mind at that moment?” Faye asked, studying Griffin’s face for reaction.

The witch shrugged, moving her hand to her leg, the one with the sigil. “I…. I didn’t believe it at first. Didn’t _want_ to believe it. I mean… How was I supposed to feel? Joy? No… That was for someone in a relationship, someone who actually _consented_ to intimacy… I… I wasn’t entirely angry… Not at Ofelia or the child…”

“But you were angry?”

Griffin swallowed. “Yes. At myself for letting everything spiral the way it did… At Oritel and Marion for even suggesting the job to me in the first place. At _him_ for…”

“For getting you there?’ Faye suggested. She nodded, pulling her legs up.

“I should have broke cover sooner… Or just… Did like my brother suggested and told the Company to take a hike…” Griffin shook her head. “And then you bring in something innocent into a situation so fucked up…. And…. There’s nothing you can do about it.”

\---------------------FB---------------------------------FB---------------------------------

Griffin looked out over the Fortress’ balcony, looking to the lake below. It’d be far too easy to take a ‘misstep’, to wander over the edge.

The fall wouldn’t be too bad… And the waters weren’t rough… It’d be easy… Just to sink like a stone, to welcome the water… “The water’s warm this time of year, but I’m almost certain this isn’t the place for a high dive…” Palladium’s all-too cheery tone broke through her thoughts.

She shook her head, turning to face the elf. “I wasn’t _really_ going to… Yet.” She told him, arms crossed. (Over her stomach, as if she was actually ‘okay’ with the idea of being pregnant.)

Palladium gave a little tilt of his head, ears wiggling. “It’s the 'yet' part that has us all worried.”

Griffin raised an eyebrow. “Us? Let me guess, you and my dearest brother?” She half-teased. The elf smiled.

“And Faragonda and Hagen and Saladin. Not to mention your witch friends… And Ofelia… Which… I think Ofelia’s worried about all of us at this point.” Palladium hummed. “Tell me, what’s got you thinking of a trip to the other side?”

“I’m still not cleared for duty outside of planning stages. Guess I’m just… Feeling useless.” Griffin gave a half-truth. (She’d wanted to be back in the field so bad… Not undercover, but on the front lines… She needed a distraction, needed to get away… Instead she had a reminder. A growing one.)

Palladium nudged her a bit. “And…? I’m an elf, Griffin, I can _feel_ the struggle. Empathy and potions are our specialty, you know.” He pulled a bit at his bowtie, as if trying to make a point. She shook her head.

“That’s… Not something I want to talk about right now…. I’m still….”

“Processing? Whatever it is…. I’m sure Salvador will be at your side.” Palladium smiled. “And I will to… Assuming you don’t try to feed me to one of Acheron’s pets again…” He teased. Griffin gave a soft chuckle, leaning at the rails.

“I had to make it look good, Palla… No hard feelings, right?”

“Considering you never _stabbed_ me like you did Hagen… We’re fine.” Palladium chuckled. “Of course, Salvador was a bit upset. But….”

“He’s always been an overprotective one. Oh don’t get me wrong, he can do a good show of having a laid back attitude and a devil-may care smile… but underneath it all…”

“He’s a dragon with a hoard to protect?” Palladium teased. “I’m becoming more and more aware of that…”

Griffin gave a smile. “I’m glad he’s got someone.”

“Saying you approve?”

“I’m saying don’t push it, Elf.” She winked, heading back inside. (She did need to talk to Salvador… And Faragonda… Something had to be done… Sooner rather than later…)

\-------------------FB--------------------------FB--------------------------

The witch paused, shaking her head. “I just needed someone to talk it out with… I… I had no idea what I was doing.”

“Most parents don’t. Especially single parents. There’s no _real_ manual for it. Oh sure, there are plenty of _guides_ but children are so diverse that no strategy will work on every child.” Faye encouraged. “Hell, my sister has five kids. Four boys and a girl… And don’t get me wrong, she does amazingly and her husband is fantastic at helping… But even she finds herself overwhelmed.”

Griffin couldn’t help but give a slight smile. “Sounds like a full-house.”

Faye gave a sad smile. “Only three are theirs biologically… The twins and the youngest boy… The other two… Are what we’ve been considering child refugees…” Griffin felt her heart drop.

“Company children?” She asked. (It was coined term by the press, children born to those who fought for the Company. Specifically the royal children: Princess Layla of Andros and Princess Stella of Solaria…)

“Not exactly… More like their realms were put in complete disarray during the war and their parents either… Passed or couldn’t be found.” Faye pushed her dark hair back. “It’s… More common than the Council wants to acknowledge… And it’s really filled up some of my colleagues who work in child psychology’s calendars…”

Griffin could feel that emptiness rise, a feeling of dread sinking in. “And here we thought _we_ were in bad shape…” Faye shook her head.

“Hey, we’re all drowning here… This thing has affected more people than anyone really knows…. And it’s… It’ll get worse before it gets better.” Faye gave a smile. “But it _will_ get better. For the kids. And for the soldiers.”

“Now, you mentioned feeling useless since you couldn’t be in the field… Did you find a way to occupy your time while on the home-front?” Faye asked.

“I assisted in putting battle strategies together and locating remaining Coven members…. After the raid on Obsidian, their numbers had decreased significantly but… there were still plenty loose that needed to be taken in…” Griffin paused.

“Mandragora was one of the first that had to go… She’d… Already killed Matlin, poisoned her and it just…. She was one of the original members of the Company and it shook the fairies down to their cores… And her fiancée was… Was suddenly a single father to an infant… He… He’d taken it so hard…”


	24. Chapter Twenty-Three: Venomous

  1. Venomous



Griffin was in the library, maps and notes sprawling around her and coming to her at her command. Images of the still-at-large Coven members were up, matched with locations they had been previously spotted.

“Do we even want to know what all of this is?” Faragonda asked, jumping back when the books started to hit the ground as the witch’s concentration was ruined.

She swore, turning to face Faragonda and Saladin. “I’m trying to be useful by hunting down the remaining members. Anyone care to help?” She snipped. (Okay… So she hadn’t been sleeping… And she was… Irritable… But she dared anyone in her position to be faring any better.)

Saladin picked up one of the maps and its corresponding notes, frowning. “Darkar’s been busy… Wonder what he wants around Tides…?”

“It could be anything from the Crown of Tides to the Gem of the Oceans… Or hell, he could be trying to find a portal to the ‘Infinite Ocean’.” Griffin put the last part in quotations. Oh sure, she’d heard the stories of an infinite power hidden in a protected ocean, but she never believed in such… Fairytales.

“What I do know is that he’s treading too close to Niobe and Teredor’s realm and they need to be on guard for shadow creatures and Darkar’s pets.” Griffin reminded them, recasting her spell to put her ‘boards’ back on show.

Faragonda tutted. “Shouldn’t you be resting? This is a bit of a power stretch considering they’re unreliable these days.” Griffin shot the fairy a look.

“I’m pregnant, not useless, Faragonda. Thank you.” She snipped. Saladin shook his head.

“I don’t know… I mean… This is great progress, Griffin, but maybe you should consider a break? Maybe let Salvador take over? Or Zarathustra if you prefer?” The wizard tried for one of his mega-watt smiles… But it fell flat, none of the usual life in his eyes.

She shook her head, bringing up Maeve’s image. “Not when we have 12 active missions going on in this moment. And not when we still have a war to win…” Griffin followed her notes on Maeve, frowning. “Seems our banshee friend is heading for Callisto…” She turned to Saladin. “Think you could handle a rematch?”

Saladin’s face lit up, hand clutching tightly to his staff. “I think so.” Faragonda shook her head.

“Oh no… You’re not going on some revenge mission… You’ll get yourself killed. Look what she’s done to you already.” Faragonda tried to dissuade.

“Fara… I appreciate the concern, but Maeve is heading for _my_ realm. And I owe her for Amelia’s death. You can’t change my mind.” The wizard turned to leave, the fairy sighing.

“Fine. I’m going with you though.” She turned to Griffin, giving a stern look. “And when I get back, you and I are going to have a chat about self-care.”

Griffin rolled her eyes. “Those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.” Griffin teased, going back to her work.

(And okay… So maybe she was feeling a little more… Tired than normal. And maybe the notes were all starting to run together… Maybe she did need a _short_ break.)

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------

She’d just finished relaying her findings to Oritel about Neruman and Acheron when the portal opened, a distressed looking Ho-Boe carrying a paling Matlin. “Where’s Ofelia? We need a medic!”

Hagen immediately jumped in to help, taking Matlin’s limp form into his arms and rushing her toward the infirmary. Ho-Boe shook, trying to fall in behind the other wizard when Oritel stopped him.

“Ho-Boe, I know it’s bad… And I know you’re worried about Mati. But right now, I need you to tell us what happened.” Oritel tried to soothe. (Marion was better at it than he was, her presence far more calming… But she was in the field with Alyssa and Erendor…)

He shook his head, pony-tail coming undone. “Mandragora happened. I don’t…. Matlin and I were just… Enjoying a picnic… Musa’s with her grandparents so we thought we’d have a moment and… This swarm of insects just attacked us.”

Griffin paled, walking over to him. “Did you get stung too?” She asked, eyes already looking him over. “If so you need to report to Ofelia and Kaia right now.”

Ho-Boe waved his hands. “I… I wasn’t stung or bit… But Matlin was… She didn’t even get a chance to get her wings… And then there’s Mandragora and her army of pests and….” Tears streamed down his face. “And Matlin’s burning up and…”

Rhodos walked over, wrapping his arms around the shorter man, swaying just a bit. “Matlin’s strong, HB. Ofelia’s gonna work her magic and Palladium’ll find an antidote and everything’s going to be fine.”

“How? Mandragora is still out there and…” He paled. “What if she goes after Musa?” He took a breath. “I mean… There’s no need… I abdicated the throne to my cousin… And my parents still aren’t talking to me… So she’s not… Like… Next in line for anything… But…” He started to spiral.

Rhodos waved his hand, a soothing fragrance filling the air. “Take a deep breath, my friend… Let the aromagic therapy just soothe you… and fill you with positive thoughts… It’s all going to be just fine.”

Griffin swallowed, looking to Oritel. (Was Musa safe? Were any of them?) “Think you should send a few guards to look out for her? Just until her parents can get back?”

Oritel paused, but gave a nod when he looked back to Ho-Boe and Rhodos. “I’ll send a few to Matlin’s parents… If Mandragora comes anywhere near them, we’ll know.”

The witch nodded, an uneasy feeling of relief hitting her. “I’m going to see if I can figure out what Mandragora could want on Melody… Then we can send a proper team after her.”

“Dragon speed.” Oritel gave her a slight salute. “Dragon speed.”

\-------------------------FB--------------------------FB------------------------

“What was Madragora wanting from Melody? It would have had to have been important for her to go there solo and immediately get Matlin out of the way.” Faye asked.

Griffin took a breath. “Have you ever heard of the Singing Whales of Melody? I know it’s a folktale that the Melodians share with one another, but like all tales, there is some truth to it.”

“Remind me about that one? I’m not as familiar with the Singing Whale story… I do know about the Mirrors of Solaria and the Treeants of Linphea…” Faye admitted. Griffin leaned back, trying to remember how it went.

“Melody has a natural song that plays throughout the realm, a tune so beautiful and inspiring, but one that can never be replicated. This song is sang by the giant whales of Melody, and their song is what keeps the world in perfect harmony… It runs like a symphony, making sure everyone and everything plays its part.” Griffin recited.

“Now… The truth to that is there are giant whales of Melody… And they are the keepers of a magical music box, one that, if legend is right, was created by the first Melodian. That song, as long it plays, keeps balance on the realm…”

“And Mandragora wanted to steal it away and plunge Melody in chaos?” Faye offered, finishing Griffin’s thoughts.

She gave a slow nod, biting at her lip. “She wanted to _ruin_ Melody for Lysslis… As if that would somehow… Win them the war.”

“How did you stop her? I mean, someone who can control poisonous insects and has venom just flowing through her… How can you stop someone like that?” Griffin gave a smile, raising up a bit.

“Simple… You send in soldiers that are immune.”

\-------------------FB---------------------FB--------------------------------

“Salvador… Are Alyssa, Erendor, and Marion back yet?” Griffin asked, looking over her notes on Melody and Mandragora.

Her brother gave a low whistle at the information around his sister, the open books and maps. “You know, I’m not saying you’re obsessive or anything, Sister Dear… But… This looks kind of like those murder board things on those shows Ediltrude likes…”

Griffin turned on her heels to face her brother, crossing her arms and glaring. (She could still be imposing. Right? So what if she had a slight bump? So what if she felt more and more drained?) “Pretty sure I asked you a question, Brother Dear.”

Salvador chuckled. “So you are irritable. Faragonda said you’d been more… Angry, lately… But I figured that was your usual grumpiness.” He tried to keep it light, had to keep it light. Everyone else was so solemn… (And it was a bit of a breather to interact with him, to get him laughing and joking.)

“Salvador. Not the time.” She reminded him.

He sighed, the smile and glow fading. “Okay, we’ll talk shop. Alyssa and the others are back, yes. Why?”

“She, Palladium, and Rhodos need to head to Melody with a team of Linphean soldiers… I know Alyssa and Queen Rachel are on good terms and it’ll do for them to have the backup.” Griffin told him.

Salvador gave a hum. “And um… Why are we sending them? Just out of curiosity… I mean… I’ve seen the damage Mandragora can do… I’d rather not send my boyfriend out into that.”

“Boyfriend? Don’t tell me you’ve chickened out of asking him already.” Griffin half-teased. Salvador gave her a look, amber eyes narrowing.

“Really haven’t had the time, Sister Dear. We’ve been a bit busy staying alive and fighting for the good of the Magical Dimension.” He reminded her. “And I really can’t ask him if he’s dead.”

“Palladium’s a woodland elf, Sal… He’s immune to most toxins. As are Linpheans. It’s why I want him and Alyssa and Rhodos to head the mission. Mandragora can’t hurt them like she can the rest of us.” Griffin pointed out. Salvador paused, breaking back out his smile.

“I missed having you around… You always did make the best plans.” He nudged her, taking her hand. “Come on… We’ll get the team together, send them off, and then you’re going to take a trip down to the cafeteria with me and get a real meal instead of whatever hell concoction Ediltrude’s been bringing you.”

She frowned, hand over her heart. “Ediltrude’s actually a decent cook, and you know that.”

“But she’s not known for making healthy choices and you’re not just worrying about you anymore, Sis.” He tilted his head. “Remember that.”

\----------------FB-----------------------------------FB--------------------------

“And they caught her?”

“It took some doing, but Alyssa managed to wrangle her down with a few well-placed vine traps and Rhodos’ aromagic therapy can be… Very useful in making an enemy docile…” Griffin paused. “And Palladium… Managed to get a sample of her blood… We’d hoped that…”

“You could reverse the effects of Mandragora’s poison on Matlin?” Faye asked, looking over her notes. “And it didn’t work…?”

Griffin pulled her legs up to her chest. “That’s the thing… It would have worked… But we were just… Too late… By the time Palladium had the serum made… Matlin had passed…” She felt the tears forming, but refused to let them fall.

She’d mourned back then, right beside the others… But now? She was tired… So tired of mourning them all.

And Matlin… Of all the ones to die… Matlin. A promising musical artist, a future bride, and a mother to an infant daughter… One who looked so much like Matlin, but would never get to know her mother…

Ho-Boe… He’d been a wreck, unable to speak or look anyone in the eyes… She could feel the blame he’d placed on himself, for not reacting faster… But it was misplaced…

Mandragora had been to blame…

“Her death was… A final straw to the Company… They were tired of waiting for the Council to send help. The royals in the Company called for a meeting with the other sovereigns of the Magical Dimension, to pool all their resources into stopping the Ancestral Witches.” She paused.

“It may have seemed extreme, but desperate times called for desperate measures… The Coven still had Darkar on their side… And… And Valtor…” There was a name that stung, a feel of acid already in her mouth. “He’d learned how to summon the Army of Darkness… We had to do something.”

Faye gave a nod. “You did. And you did it well… How many of the other sovereigns joined in the fight?”

“Most of them… I think the Ice Kingdom and a few of the dark realms refused to assist, but no one could blame them… They’d been the most under pressure by the Coven, they were terrified…”

Faye gave a slight smile. “I think most of us were… Especially us civilians. Watching the news every day, trying to decide if it was safe or not to leave our homes… The looming threat of destruction hanging over us? It was such a relief when… When it was over…”

Griffin gave a shaky laugh. “For us too… For us too.”


	25. Chapter Twenty-Four: Comfort and Anger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (It's supposed to be stormy here off and on all week, so have a two-for-one update just in case things get... Crazy.)

  1. Comfort and Anger



_Ashes fell among the snow, bodies from both armies laid in the snow. Earthquakes shook the realm. Those who could were still trying to hold down the fight._

_Chaos. The balance was tipping. Tipping faster and faster and the realm was beginning to spiral, unravel._

_The fighting came to a standstill as ships from Solaria and Eraklyon came for aid, raining down more Company soldiers._

_The snow fell, harder and faster, seeing becoming more and more difficult. The fairies could barely fly, snow crabs coming out from the ground._

_Another earthquake rattled the realm, an explosion echoed in the distance. Ashes mingling with the snow as the smell of smoke became more prominent._

_“Where are the King and Queen?”_

_“What about their daughter? Or Princess Daphne?”_

_“Where is everyone?”_

_“Who can save us now?”_

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Griffin looked up from her book as Hagen walked into the common room, grumbling under his breath. “What’s got you in such a _lovely_ mood?” She asked, moving up a bit on the couch so he could sit with her.

“I finally decided to share my secrets with one of those quacks… And apparently I have anger issues along with PTSD and survivor’s guilt. Of fucking course I have PTSD. I was in a damn war and survivor’s guilt? Of course I’ve got it… Do they have _any_ idea how many people have died because of this shit?” He growled, taking a seat.

“It’s normal for what we’ve gone through… Hell the entire Magical Dimension has PTSD because of this shit. But because I’m here, it’s an _issue_? No. The issue would be if I had no feelings about this whatsoever. Like our dear Councilmen who can’t seem to keep their damned mouths shut.” Hagen raged, face red and brows furrowed. His eyes suddenly sharper than knives. “Pushing it down to just… _Issues_.”

Griffin took a breath, moving a little closer, getting shoulder to shoulder with him. “Hagen… It’s difficult, being _diagnosed_ with things that have become just… Natural for us over the years… But for them to feel they can ‘help’ us with this… Talk therapy bullshit and the aromagic therapy… They have to be able to… Categorize.”

“Categorize? We’re not books, Griffin. We’re people. All they’re trying to do is get information on what happened so they can tell the damn historians and the Council to make Oritel and Marion look bad.” Hagen shook his head. “I knew we should have fought this order. I knew we should have challenged the Council right then.”

“But the other royals went along with it, so we had to as well.” Griffin reminded him. “We couldn’t challenge all the armies. We barely could challenge the Coven’s.”

“And whose fault is that? The Councils.” He clenched his fists. “Damn dirty weasels.” Griffin placed a hand over one of his.

“Hagen… Keep in mind why we’re doing this. We have our families to think of. We have a Magical Dimension to think of. You and I are the last ones in here, and we’re the ones who can really nail down their coffins.”

“You were Oritel’s right hand. And I was one of the main strategists and informants. We both have some of the more damning evidence. Which is why we need to work _with_ the system to get out of here so when we storm the Council on the day of the hearing, we’ll be taken a bit more seriously instead of arrested as fugitives.” Griffin bit her lip, hoping she’d broke through to him.

(If she didn’t, Faragonda would lose him to whatever hatred he had inside… And Hagen… He’d never forgive himself if he left her…)

He sighed, leaning back against the couch, head hitting the back. “When did our lives get so complicated?” He groaned. “I was supposed to be a simple advisor and sword-maker for the King and Queen of Domino… I wasn’t supposed to actually _be_ in any war.”

Griffin scoffed, leaning back herself, legs crossed. “You think I planned any of the shit I went through? No… No… I was going to work on an independent project while my brother and his new boyfriend tried to not blow each other up experimenting with potions.”

“I was going to change the minds of light magic users, to make them see the _reason_ dark magic exists… And then here comes the King and Queen of Domino with Saladin and Faragonda with promises of funding my projects… If I just spied on the Ancestral Witches for them.” She gave a breathless laugh.

“Look how that turned out.” She shook her head. “All to ash…”

“Not all of it.” Hagen admitted. “We still have our lives… Most of it… Probably… Assuming the stress of it all doesn’t kill us first…” Hagen shrugged. “But hey… For now we’re here.” He paused for a moment. “Of course… That’s part of the problem, ain’t it…?”

“Why us and not them?” Griffin asked. A theoretical question, but one they all asked over and over.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hagen turned off the television, head in his hands. “They found more… In Domino’s wreckage…” He spoke, looking up as Griffin was walking back into the common room, tea in hand.

She paled, taking a seat (okay, so more like half-falling) on the nearest chair. “Alive?” She asked, hopeful.

Hagen shook his head. “No survivors… It was… One of the villages close to the main kingdom of Sparx… Between the rubble and the snow, they think they suffocated…” He swallowed audibly. “But there’s got to be some hope right…? I mean… None of the bodies found so far have been Princess Bloom or Princess Daphne… So… That’s got to be good.”

Griffin gripped her cup tightly, looking to the blank screen. She remember so vividly how Marion and Oritel had ordered her and Faragonda to find the girls… To keep them safe…

And they had… They’d opened a protective pocket dimension… One that would keep them hidden… But after the battle…

After the battle, neither could be found. All that was left were a tiara and rattle…

“I don’t know, Hagen… After all this time… If they were alive… Especially if Daphne were still alive… Why wouldn’t they have shown themselves by now?” She asked. “I mean… Daphne was going into her senior year of Alfea, determined to surpass her brother in her studies… She wouldn’t have tossed all of that away and disappeared…”

“Especially since she’d have to know we were all alive and looking for her… And for Bloom…” Griffin shifted, her legs coming to rest under her. “I… I don’t think they made it.” Hagen shook his head, brows furrowed.

“No… They’ve got to be alive. Or at least… Bloom would have to be.” He looked to Griffin. “Your research was all about the balance between light and dark. We both know that the Dark Dragon lives on… Somewhere. And for the Magical Dimension to have not collapsed in on itself, it stands to reason that…. That the Light Dragon has to be alive too. And that’d be Bloom.”

Griffin paused, giving a little hum. It was possible… And… It did fall in line with her theory and research… If Valkyrie lived… Than Bloom would have had too as well… Otherwise there’d be chaos still. (More noticeable chaos anyway… As it had been on Domino the day it died.)

“You may be on to something, Hagen… But… We don’t have any solid proof. If she were alive, Magnethia and Electronio would have been able to pick up on her inner fire on one of their scans… So where could would she be?” Griffin asked.

“She’s still a baby. Powers never come in until a child’s at least 5.”

“But the fire would still be there. Regardless of age.” She shook her head. “The dragons are ancient beings who merged their own souls into that of their chosen rulers. Light took to Domino, and Dark took to Obsidian. No matter how often they died or were reborn, that fire never went out. Not completely. It’d be detectable, no matter what.”

Hagen gave her a look. “Is that how you know not to be worried about _her_? Because you can still feel that fire?” He asked. (A true question, not one to mock or hurt… Even if it did sting.)

She set her cup down, unable to look at him. “I know I don’t have to worry because I trust Faragonda’s judgement about her placement. I’m not going to dwell on it, there’s no need in doing so.” She looked around, suddenly reminded of just how open their environment was. “And I think we should stop speaking of the _dead_.” Griffin gave him a look. (Back off the subject. It’s done.)

“We can’t just give up on them though…. The dead I mean. They tend to have a funny way of coming back sometimes.” Hagen walked over to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. “I’m sure you’ll meet her one day. Just as I’m sure Bloom and Daphne are somewhere safe… Just… Hidden.”

Griffin gave a slight smile, one that didn’t reach her eyes. “We all have our dreams, Hagen…”


	26. Chapter Twenty-Five: Letting Go

  1. Letting Go



Dr. Faye had the notebooks and pens out and ready by the time Griffin walked in and took her seat. “Sorry about the delay… Hagen needed a little… Prodding to go to his next appointment.” Griffin apologized, taking her notebook and pen.

The doctor chuckled and shook her head. “No need for that. I’m just glad he’s finally… Pardon the expression… Seeing the light.” Griffin just shook her head. “What? That was pretty good, I thought.”

“Sorry, Doc… You thought wrong.” The witch countered, leaning back. “So what next? Do we talk about the funerals? Or perhaps you want to know if Maeve went into custody or a grave? Darkar’s banishment into ShadowHaunt?” Griffin asked.

Faye’s expression changed a bit, becoming a bit more solemn. “Actually… I wanted to know a bit more about… Your child. What happened there? You’ve not mentioned them to anyone… And going by Ofelia’s records, you jumped right back into the fray just weeks after giving birth.”

“If you have the records, then you know why I don’t mention her.” Griffin pointed out, her fingers starting to tap on the notebook. “She was stillborn. Plain and simple…” She bit her lip. “Probably my fault… I was so stressed during the pregnancy… And I wasn’t… Doing as I should’ve… I was so wrapped up in trying to plan out a way to defeat the Coven…” Her voice trailed.

“I didn’t even realize something was wrong until she born… She never cried…. She didn’t breathe…” A lie. All of it. But it was for the best. They’d all decided on that. (Even if Salvador had to get used to the idea… Even if she felt sick about her decision.)

Faye studied the witch, leaning a bit in her chair. “I want to hear it from you, Griffin. I want to know your thoughts and feelings on it. I want to hear you say it aloud for yourself. Make it real. It’s the only way to really get by it.” Griffin gave a scoff.

“Get by it? You make it sound like it was just a minor bump in the road, a minor inconvenience instead of what it really was. A loss. A loss of life that didn’t even get to start. Granted, I had no idea how the hell I was going to make it work or what I would have told her when she was old enough to ask questions… But that…? That was one of the hardest things I ever had to do.”

It was partially true. Giving Valkyrie to Faragonda so the fairy could place her elsewhere was… Beyond difficult. A part of her just… Disappeared without a trace. A loss on its own… But it was for the best… It was all for the best.

“I’m sure it was… Losing a child is a devastating trauma all on its own.” Faye seemed to soften. “But you need to talk about it. You have to let it out. Start small… What was her name?”

“Valkyrie…”

\--------------------------------FB---------------------------------------FB----------------------------------

She didn’t cry loudly, it was more of a whine, but it was a good sign all the same. The girl was alive and from the way she seemed to squirm in Ofelia’s grasp, she was going to fight to stay that way.

“Dear… I have to get you cleaned up and weighed and measured. We can’t just have you as an unknown.” Ofelia argued. Griffin couldn’t help but smile, her body finally willing to rest. Of course, when she noticed how Ofelia was fussing over something, she tried to raise herself up.

“Ofelia? What’s wrong?” She asked, panic beginning to rise. “Is she okay?”

“Griffin… Relax… It’s just… A birthmark apparently… Or at least, I’m not sure what else it could be…” The medic hummed, walking closer into the witch’s line of sight.

Valkyrie had her back showing, a little dragon coiled around her shoulder blade. The mark of the Dark Dragon. “Guess she’ll have that in common with him.” Griffin muttered, trying to shake the feeling of worry from herself.

She didn’t need to worry. Worry would cause attachment and if she got attached… She just couldn’t do it.

“Here… I’ll go… Finish the paperwork. I’m sure Faragonda will be here to see you soon.” Ofelia reminded Griffin, carefully placing the bundle in her arms. “Of course… All you have to do is say-”

“We’re not going to change tactics in the middle of a plan, Ofelia… It’d be foolish.” Griffin told her, resolute in her decision. (Just because she was holding tightly to the baby meant absolutely nothing. It was October and cold and if she caught pneumonia before Faragonda could take her to wherever it was she’d found, she’d never forgive herself.)

Ofelia left to start on the paperwork, leaving Griffin with the bundle. She was so small, pink… A slight bit of purple fluff for hair. Her eyes were trying to force themselves open, glimpses of blue-gray irises revealing themselves.

“I hope you’ll forgive me one day… I do… But you’ll see… This is for the best…” She whispered, letting a finger trail down one of the baby’s cheeks, a slight smile twitching at her lips as the baby shuddered. Unused to being handled just yet.

“Trust me… You’d hate me more if I kept you… especially if we lose this fight… And I’ll be damned if I let them anywhere near you.” That had been her main motivator. If those witches had Valkyrie… And raised her the way they’d done her… Father… All would be lost.

Not only that… but… The cruelty she knew Valkyrie would be subjected to in that scenario…? It was too much to bear. Far too much.

“But Faragonda, she’s…. Sort of your fairy godmother but I’ll die before I admit that…. Which is why we’ll keep that between us… She swears she’s found a good place… A good family… You’ll have a chance to do better and be better than I am… Than he is. You’ll be in good hands.” Griffin promised, doing her best to take in the baby.

Her baby. Her child.

For now. Fara would in soon… And then it’d be over. Done. As far as anyone would know… Griffin had a stillborn child and no one would be able to prove otherwise.

\-----------------------------------FB----------------------------FB-----------------------------------

“Did Ofelia ever tell you what she thought caused her to be stillborn?” Faye asked, handing a box of tissues to Griffin.

The witch paused, noticing how her glasses had fogged up and how wet her face felt… She’d been crying… When did that start?

She took one of the tissues, wiping at her face. “No… She didn’t… She just assured me that these things happened…” Griffin clenched her fist. “That there was likely nothing we could have done anyway…”

“And you would have thought… That maybe… I’d have seen it as some sort of… Good omen… That I had nothing to tie me to _him_ anymore… But I could never see it like that… I stayed up nights wondering… What could have been if she’d lived…?”

(What was worse? Mourning someone who had actually died or someone who had to be dead to you?)

Faye extended a hand, giving a squeeze when Griffin took it. “There’s no right or wrong way to feel about situations like this, Griffin… These are the situations that are so muddled with emotions and ‘what ifs’ that moving on and trying to rebuild gets harder and harder. All you can do is process what happened and try to make sense of it in the best way you can…”

Griffin swallowed, withdrawing her hand and laying it on her lap. This was a moment she could just curl in on herself. Go back to mutism. It was simpler than having to… Discuss…

What was there to discuss? Valkyrie, as far as anyone needed to know, was dead. Griffin mourned (for a short period, there was still a war to fight), and now… Did she really have to go through it again?

“Griffin…? You with me?” Faye asked, her voice doing that melodic thing it did when she was concerned and wanted to grab attention.

“I’m here… I just… I remember breaking the news to my brother and the trip we took back home…”

“Rancor? Right? That’s where you’re from?” Faye tried to keep her talking, focusing on the moment.

“Yeah… Rancor… The Southern Portions… We went home to… To mourn and to bury her…” An empty grave was made near their parents’ headstones… one that seemed too small to be real.

“But we didn’t get to mourn long… The war was still going on and we couldn’t…. Forget that there were others who needed us to be there.” Griffin swallowed. “And Oritel was getting… Impatient and more agitated as time went on.”

Faye gave a frown, crossing her arms. “You’d just lost your child and he was already pushing you to keep fighting?”

Griffin pulled her knees to her chest. Dammit she should have kept her mouth shut. “We’d all lost someone, Doc… But if we lost the war, the deaths would have been in vain. We had to shut the Ancestral Witches down… Or more parents would have lost their kids. Or their own lives.”

“Still, how long did he actually let you rest?”

“A few weeks… And then we went to planning an assault on the Coven. There were sightings of their battalions in a few of the realms, so I created a plan to attack on them on all fronts. Obsidian, Tides, Linphea, Freyos, and the Ice Kingdom.” She gave a slight smile, remembering how exhilarating it was to see the Obsidian Castle burn to the ground, reduced to nothing but rubble and ash.

“Sounds like you had quite the plan.”

Griffin felt her cheeks flush. “I might have been thinking of revenge for a while… Not like I had much else to do…”


	27. Chapter Twenty-Six: Karma

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone is confused by some of the names, they're from villains (lesser villains) in the comic series for Winx Club. I just felt I could... Tie them in. (And I think I did okay.)

  1. Karma



Griffin crossed the floor to stand in front of Oritel, keeping her head high and back straight. (He was wrong and she had to make him understand it.) “We can’t go for an attack tomorrow. It’ll be a triple full moon on Obsidian, do you have any idea what kind of power surge they’ll have?”

Oritel frowned, crossing his arms. “I know it’s risky, but we’re running out of options. We have to put an end to this war sooner rather than later, Griffin.”

“It’s not risky, it’s suicide.” She growled, not giving in. (She’d be damned if she ended up a prisoner again. She’d hit up Mandragora’s stash of poisons first.) “If we attack them, on _their_ _turf_ , while they’re at their strongest, we will die. No ifs, ands, or buts to it.”

“Oritel, I think we should listen to her… She… She does _know_ them better than we do. She _was_ dead-on about how to banish Darkar and how to trap Acheron inside of his own book.” Marion reminded her husband.

Erendor shook his head. “The witch is speaking purely out of fear.” Griffin glowered, turning on her heels to face the new King of Eraklyon.

“Excuse me?” She snipped.

“Fear’s what’s driving you. You’re scared of them, just like any other _civilian_.” He continued. “Hell, you’d probably _want_ them to win. Witches on top of the rest of us, right?”

There was a stillness in the air, tension brewing. Griffin glowered, removing the cloak she’d taken to wearing to show the marks on her arms and neck and the few that peeked out from her shirt, making sure to move and stand in the center so the others could see.

“You’re right about one thing, Erendor. I _am_ scared of them. And if you dare to say you’re not, then you’re either foolish or lying.” She growled, keeping her eyes trained on him.

“ _I’m_ one of the only ones in this damn room who knows just _what_ they’re capable of. _I’m_ one of the ones who has seen _firsthand_ just how cruel they can be. All of _this?_ This wasn’t even done while they were at their most powerful or most desperate. This was their doing with their normal strength.”

“But go ahead, fight them while they’re at their peak of desperation and power. Go ahead. See how long _you_ can last in an Obsidian dungeon.” She snapped, eyes searching the room. Everyone had seemed to pale, including the other witches involved.

Fear. She could feel their fear radiating in the room. She took a breath, putting her cloak back on. “If we want to beat them, King Erendor, we need a better strategy. Or we’ll all end up wishing for death.”

Erendor seemed at a loss for words, face red and turning to Oritel for assistance. Oritel shook his head, taking a few steps toward Griffin.

“How should we go about this then…? Or do you have any better ideas than we do?” Oritel asked.

“I have a few, question is, which will you and the others be willing to follow?” Griffin told him, waving her hands as the map she’d made of Obsidian expanded for the others to see.

\-----------------------FB--------------------------------FB-----------------------------------

Faye waved one of her hands, indicating for Griffin to stop. “Just what sort of plan did you come up with?”

“A full-on assault of most fronts. We may have had a larger army than they did in that moment, but we didn’t want to spread ourselves too thin, just in case.” Griffin tapped her hands. “Could I… Do a visual…? It’s… Easier to explain that way…”

The doctor gave a nod, moving her chair back to give Griffin room. The witch stood, five different maps standing on display. “Damn… Five different realms, five different plans…? You must have put a lot of thought into it?”

“Didn’t have much else to do… Plan and plot… Make sure the others didn’t get themselves killed… It was one of the reasons I was recruited…” Griffin moved to the map of the Ice Kingdom, deciding to start there.

“We knew they could sense the end was nigh after many of their heavy-hitters were imprisoned or under banishment spells, but it didn’t matter too much after Valtor figured out how to raise the Army of Darkness with his Dragon Fire…” That had stung, remembering how easily he could raise an army from the dead and the decayed. As if it was nothing to disrupt their peace in death, to off-put the balance.

“He spread the Army over the realms to the remaining… Inner Circle members, wanting to keep them from facing a similar fate to the others.” She waved her hand over the Ice Kingdom’s map.

Little miniatures formed. Army of Darkness and their ‘leaders’. “The Ice Kingdom was being attacked by a faction of the Army… Led by Arzenius and Mazakis. Mazakis was a powerful wizard over ice, and a favorite of Belladonna’s… He wanted to rule the Ice Kingdom for himself… And Arzenius just wanted to watch everything collapse.”

She waved her hand again, showing more miniatures. This time of fairies and heroes. “Zenith is a pretty frigid planet itself, so I felt sending Magnethia and Electronio with a group of Solarian and Zenithian soldiers would make the battle a bit fairer.”

Griffin moved on the Linphean map, showing the Army of Darkness and their ‘commanders’ there. “Amaranth was a vampire who felt Linphea should belong to him. He loved their sense of beauty and nature, but he despised just how bright it had to be to maintain such harmony. And Garont, a werewolf with serious self-control issues, wanted to rule over the MagiWolves, just as he did his own pack.”

“Alyssa and Rhodos took point here.” She gestured to a group of wildling villages. “I didn’t feel the need to worry about those two and the Linphean army… There’s a reason few people ever try to attack the central nature realm, and it’s usually because no one is that _stupid_. Normally…” Griffin amended.

_Linpheans were slow to anger and would much rather talk things out than fight, but once you’d pushed one to their point… Make sure you’re nowhere near anything rooted or flowered. Otherwise you’d end up upside down and poisoned. Or worse… Planted in such a way the greenery would take it’s nutrients from your body as you slowly died._

She frowned at the map of Tides. “This was one realm without the Army’s influence… But it did have Coven members gallivanting around… Niobe and Teredor offered their help to the people of Tides, as the rulers of Andros…”

“The rulers of Tides initially didn’t want their help, but relented after their eldest daughter was taken prisoner during a raid… I’d never really seen Niobe angry before… But it was something to behold… Partially I feel it was because she’d recently had her own daughter."

“You never do turn off that ‘mom mode’.” Dr. Faye chuckled. “I’m well in my thirties and my mother still makes me call her to check in.”

Griffin gave a slight smile. “Enjoy it. She cares for you.” She turned back to the map of Tides. “The members of the Coven here weren’t considered… Major threats… The Sirens… Basically merpeople put…”

“Deadlier and more vicious? We’ve all heard the stories.” Dr. Faye reminded her. Griffin shook her head.

“They’re worse than the stories… Trust me on that…” She went to the map of Freyos. “Freyos was a dark realm that had been… Claimed by the Ancestral Witches… Kamud and Celsius decided that would be the perfect realm for them and their portion of the Army.” Griffin waved her hand, the figures showing.

Dr. Faye frowned. “Celsius…? Sol? As in King Radius’ half-brother? That Celsius?”

“The one and the same. He never could get over Radius becoming king of Solaria, and he never could understand why Luna would pick Radius over him… So he turned to the Ancestral Witches who promised him Solaria… Or rather, what would have been left of Solaria…” Griffin swallowed.

“Radius and Luna took their soldiers to fight for Freyos… And Palladium took a few of his elven friends as backup. You never turn down skilled weaponists.” She then turned her attention to Obsidian.

“The entire of realm of Obsidian was under their control. I… I came up with a plan to assault them from each angle, wanting to make damn sure we didn’t let anyone get away.” She waved her hands again, the miniatures showing up. “Marion and Oritel were determined that they were going too, despite the fact Obsidian would drain them faster than anyone else… But Salvador had found a potion that would give them at least two hours’ worth of energy to fight with us…”

“Sounds like it was quite the battle…”

“It was… If only had been the final one…” Griffin lamented, making the maps disappear as she took her seat back. “If only it were the final battle…”

\----------FB------------------------------FB----------------------------------

It was chaos around the castle. Weapons fired, spells cast, wings fluttered, the cries of the dying filling the air.

Misery… She could feel the misery and despair just sweeping through the realm as she fought her way inside.

She needed to find them and start the spell. She had to get them into Oblivion where they could do no more harm. (And Salvador and Hagen needed safe passage into the dungeons to free any remaining prisoners…)

“Heads up!” Faragonda called out. Griffin teleported away from the spot, watching from her new distance as the fairy had destroyed one of the many rot monsters. She shook her head, starting back for the stairs.

The monsters were everywhere; crawling on the ceilings, flying and blasting slime toward them, and the larger grunts just slamming their way through.

A blade cut through one of the creatures in front of Griffin, Codatorta giving a smile from his vantage point on the chandelier. (How the hell did he manage to get up there?) “Just paying ya back fer Veis.”

She gave a slight wave, a reciprocation as she made her way up. Footsteps behind her had her jumping and turning on her heels, energy ball in hand.

“Easy… it’s just me.” Ediltrude raised her hand. “Z would have shown up, but she’s busy fighting in the courtyard beside Griselda. You know she never turns down a change to look good.”

Griffin let out a groan and tried to relax. “Keep in mind, we’re fighting in a battle right now. Sneaking up behind a teammate is not the way you want to die.” A half-tease. “Come on… I think I know where they’d be hiding…”

“Sure you want to do this?”

“Don’t have a choice, Edi…” She moved toward one of the double-doors, pausing when it went up in flames.

“Oh look who decided to show up. We did miss you, Griffin.” Fiona chuckled, appearing by the doors. “You weren’t looking for our Mistresses were you? You know they felt soooo bad when you left. Alive.” The green-haired witch had changed drastically since Griffin saw her last.

Her hair was longer, matted. Eyes wide in mania, teeth sharper. And her flames were no longer red, but a bright blue. “Tell me… Would my flames purify you, or consume you?”

Ediltrude raised her hands, a swarm of locusts surrounding the flaming witch. “Why don’t you tell me if you can breathe in this?!” She growled out, turning to Griffin. “I’ve got the zealot, you go on ahead.”

Griffin paused. “Be careful…” She whispered, turning to run. She had to find it… Had to. (Could she still find that room…? Did she even want to?)

\-------------------------------------------------

She opened the doors, casting a light spell to dispel any shadow creatures and to give her the light she needed to see.

Empty. The room was empty except for the candles, the pillows, and shards of broken glass. Empty, empty.

Dammit. “What’s in there?” Faragonda’s voice came from down the hall, her wings tingling as she flew over. “Yikes… Seems like some sort of cult area…”

Griffin looked the room over, still able to hear the echoes of her telling him no. Still able to see her trying to fight against him.

“Worse actually.” She closed her eyes, placing her hand on the wooden wall. She opened her eyes as smoke and ash began to fill her lungs, watching as the room began to catch fire.

“I don’t remember this being part of the plan…” Faragonda took her hand, trying to snap her out of it. “Was it?”

“We were always going to burn this place down, Fara… Always.” She sensed out Ediltrude and Zarathustra, the signal. “We should start getting out of here.”

“Why?” Faragonda seemed uneasy. “Please tell me you didn’t let Zarathustra make her bombs… Please tell me you didn’t…” She paused at Griffin’s smile, swearing. “Does Oritel know what you’re planning?”

“Who do you think has the detonator? One strike of the dragon fire, and Obsidian Castle, and whatever horrors are still in here, will burn.” Griffin shrugged. “Sounds good to me, what about you?”

Faragonda paused, as if trying to weigh down her options and her morality. “They… Have caused a lot of trouble… And… they are terrorists… And this _is_ a war…”

Griffin shook her head, taking the fairy’s hand. “We can weigh out our souls later. Right now, we need to go.”

\----------------FB-----------------------------FB--------------------------

“How did it feel knowing you’d destroyed the ceremony room?” Dr. Faye asked. Griffin paused, fingers tapping on her knees.

“Wonderful. Everything that happened in that room just went up in smoke… No one would have to set foot in there again… Hell… There wasn’t going to be a floor to even step _on_ after we were finished with our plan.” 

"Why was Faragonda so worried about the plan? Seems to me that blowing the central base for the Ancestral Witches to kingdom come was a good idea... Or was she fearing retaliation?"

"She was worried about others getting caught in the blast, no matter if they were one of ours or one of theirs... Of course... There _was_ always the fear of retaliation, but at that moment... It didn't matter." 

\----------------FB----------------------------FB----------------------------

Just in time. They’d just barely made it to the courtyard when Oritel and Marion gave the final blow, the castle going up in smoke and flames.

Bodies laid about the grounds, soldiers from all sides taking in their final breaths. Coven members who had survived the fight were tied down with anti-magic cuffs, screaming and cursing them all.

But one. One stood out.

Fiona. Fiona who was laughing about the entire thing. “You know, I don’t think I get what’s so funny… Do you?” Zarathustra asked, looking over to the manic witch.

Griffin could feel dread sinking into her. There was a reason she didn’t feel smothered inside the castle, a reason that neither he nor the Ancestral Witches could be found.

She took a step over to Fiona, grabbing the witch harshly. “Where did they go?” She demanded, glaring her down. Fiona just cackled.

“You always did ask too many questions… Oh but felt he could trust you anyway…” She chuckled. “Trust was always sooo overrated. I kept thinking we should’ve just burned you right away… But I was pushed aside, considered jealous… But I was right… I was right all along.”

Griffin glowered, feeling little pricks of ice slip from her fingertips. “I asked you a question, Fiona. Where. Did. They. Go?” She growled, the other witch going from laughing to shuddering from the cold.

“Seems you… Paid attention to… Belladonna after all…” Fiona tried to laugh. “You want to… Know where they went? It’s… Where it all… Began.”

“The hell does that mean?” Saladin asked. Griffin started to pale.

“Domino… They went to Domino.” Griffin answered, already looking to Faragonda and Oritel to start up a portal.

“Whoa… Whoa… What makes you so sure?” Salvador asked. “I mean, it could be somewhere else on Obsidian… That’s where they first encountered and killed the Dark Dragon… Right?”

“But it’s not what started all of this. They first tried to steal the Light Dragon’s fire, but were unable to because she’d already merged with the first ruler of Domino.” Griffin countered, looking to Oritel and Marion.

“I’m telling you, that’s where they went. Now, I’m sure Erendor is doing his best to keep Domino safe, but he can’t do it alone.”

“Codatorta, Griselda, Ediltrude, would you escort our prisoners to the commissioners’ to await trial? We’ll be there soon enough.” Oritel commanded, trying to stay calm despite the grip he had on his sword.

“The rest of you, with us… We have a Magical Dimension to save.” Marion ordered, wings fluttering fast in her anger.

\--------------------FB-------------------------------------------FB--------------------

Faye raised her hand. Pause. “You had just fought off a horde of monsters and Coven members and were about to jump right back into the fray on a different realm… Where did you find that sort of energy? Where was this power coming from?”

Griffin paused. “Honestly…? I’m not sure… We were… Exhausted and drained… But we had to keep fighting. We _had_ to… And… Knowing that Domino was in trouble… We just… Had to pray and go on our way.”

“Pray? Didn’t think you were religious?” Faye questioned. Griffin swallowed, pulling her legs up.

“In that moment… All of us were religious. We were terrified… For ourselves. For the people of Domino… Hell, for the entire Magical Dimension… We were doing our best with what we had… But all we had was ourselves.” Griffin pushed her hair back, feeling warm.

“We had to keep pushing them back though… We… We knew if they were on Domino, we’d be facing our final battle with them… That everything so far would come down to this… And… It was the hardest fight we were in… No breaks, no rest, just fighting and running and trying to make sure we were alive.”

Faye shook her head, handing the box of tissues toward the witch. “Sounds like quite the ordeal… But you won. You won and you lived and you’re able to talk about it.”

“But at what cost? Domino is dead. Obsidian is dead. Marion and Oritel? Dead. Their civilization? Dead.” Griffin paused, clenching her fists. “I could sit here and tell you every one who died and how… even those who fell during my imprisonment… I memorized their names… Their falls…”

“What we did… We did because we had no choice. The Council was of no help and the Ancestral Witches were gaining ground too fast to ignore… We had to fight. We had to make sure those losses weren’t in vain. Otherwise… What was the point?” Griffin closed her eyes tight. “What was the point?”

She could hear movement and felt a tentative hand on her shoulder. When she made no move to remove it, the hand relaxed, giving her a squeeze. “All of you stood your ground against tyrants who would have ravaged the realms and left us all dead or enslaved. You fought them, tooth and nail, until they fell.”

“All of you in the Company of Light are heroes. All of you saved the _entire_ Magical Dimension without any help from our supposed leaders. You changed history. Yes, there were losses, but they weren’t in vain. Because here we are. Free and protected. No Army of Darkness to devour our souls, no Ancestral Witches to bring us into an era of misery and despair… We’re safe. All because of the Company of Light. Because of you.”

(She’d never admit it, but that did give her a fuzzy feeling… A warmth she’d forgotten she’d had. A feeling of self-worth, of knowing she was right… That it would be okay.)

“Tell me, Doc… What are you exactly? Witch? Fairy? I’m kind of getting fairy vibes after that little… Heartfelt speech… But I want to be sure.” Griffin half-teased, trying to keep that waver out of her voice.

Faye gave a bit of a laugh. “Witch, actually. I’m an empath so… This was definitely a job made just for me.” She nudged Griffin, moving back to her chair to start packing up. “That was time… And considering what I feel will be our topic next session… You’ll be free to go by Saturday.”

Griffin paused, raising her head up. “Seriously?” She gave a smile. A genuine smile. Freedom… Just a little out of her reach… But she was so close. “I’ll be free to go this week?”

“One more session. And you’ll be free to walk out those double doors. No questions asked.” Faye gave a smile. “But I do have a request of you for when you leave… Give the Council, Hell for me.”

Griffin gave a laugh. “With pleasure.”


	28. Chapter Twenty-Seven: Just Breathe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little reprieve chapter. Nothing more than a bit of a... "Breather".

  1. Just Breathe



Hagen glowered at the chess board. “Reset.” He commanded, moving away to sit by Griffin on the couch. “I’m losing my touch.”

“Did you ever have it?” She asked, teasing the wizard. Hagen pointed to her, giving her a stern look.

“If I had my swords…”

“I’d end up stabbing you with them?” She grinned, watching his face turn red at the cheeks and his nose. “Oh lighten up, Hagen… I’m only joking… I’m sure Faragonda will be more than happy to walk through a few games with you.”

Hagen snorted. “If I ever get out of here. Apparently my lack of remorse for killing Balthazar has scandalized my former therapist, so now I have to have a new one. Again.” He shook his head. “We were in the middle of a war and he was…”

“One of the worst.” Griffin scrunched her nose, closing her eyes tightly. She’d remember Balthazar far too well.

A wizard with a knack for turning people into monsters he could control, he was a formidable opponent… And one of the more gruesome ones if he caught anyone within his net…

He’d nearly dewinged Faragonda and Griselda during the Battle of Anaeais. Thankfully, Hagen and Palladium had been there as their backup, or it could have ended badly.

“But hey… If nothing else… I can start applying for day passes.” Hagen shrugged, leaning back. “They let you once, right?”

“Right. But that was because my brother all-but insisted in that way he does… You know what I’m talking about… when he’s already made the decision for you and you _have_ to follow along because _no_ isn’t an option?” Griffin rambled a bit. Hagen laughed, nodding.

“I know exactly what you’re talking about. How do you think he and Faragonda got your rescue mission-slash-first raid of Obsidian approved? He basically told Oritel it was happening and to get the ships ready. And Faragonda was already shifted and ready to go.”

Griffin couldn’t help but laugh at that image. “That right there is why I never wanted them to be friends.” She paused, shaking her head. “Oh realms they’re friends now… I’ll never get peace again.”

Hagen swore. “You’re right… Maybe we should sabotage them?”

“Won’t do any good. They may both be jealous beings, but never over each other considering…”

“Considering Faragonda’s engaged to me and Salvador is not only gay but married too?” Hagen swore. “Damn… Okay… So what do we do? Suffer in silence?”

“Seems to be our only choice.” Griffin admitted grimly. “At least we’ll be suffering together.”

“Misery loves company.”

\----------------------------------------------------------------

“Alright… Spill… What’s got you in such a good mood? You’re starting to worry me.” Salvador teased, pointing his straw to Griffin. They were ‘hanging out’ in the cafeteria, Salvador having managed to smuggle in a meal from Jinxes’.

“Don’t tell me… They’re going to make a movie about the war and exploit our very real horrors for the masses in the name of entertainment?”

Griffin frowned at her brother, taking a slow sip of the fudge milkshake he’d smuggled in for her. “No… Or at least… I’m pretty sure they won’t try to do that for another ten years… Not while it’s still fresh on everyone’s minds… Or while we’re already fighting with the Council.”

Salvador hummed. “Fair enough… okay… So you’ve figured out you have the future sight too? And you’ve used it to see if Morgan is a boy or girl?”

Griffin rolled her eyes. “Even if that were true I wouldn’t tell you. You and Palladium both vowed to find out during the birth. Not before. And I’m _not_ going to be the reason you divorce.”

“Hey! Divorce isn’t an option in this case, Sister Dear. Don’t even joke.” He pouted, taking a sip from his own milkshake. He gave another hum and focused on his sister. “Okay. Tell me. What is it?”

“I’m getting out of here. Saturday, according to Dr. Faye… Which means I’ll not only be out in time for the hearing… But I’ll be able to help with Morgan.” Griffin gave a smile, watching her brother break out into a grin.

He hugged her close, ignoring her protests of ‘milkshakes are cold when pressed against skin, dammit’. “I’m so excited… And so proud.” Salvador grinned. “See…? Opening up isn’t sooo bad.”

Griffin hit his leg with her knee, fighting her own smile. “Shut up. I only did it because you played the ‘aunt’ card.”

Salvador chuckled. “I had to do something…. I was beginning to worry you’d end up a permanent resident…”

She paused, the realization hitting. She really had come a long way. She _was_ a bit… Freer. Lighter. “You know… The nightmares aren’t as bad…” Salvador grinned, his eyes practically flashing ‘I told you so’.

“See? And you wanted to bottle it all up and throw it away.” He smiled. “You’re even starting to look more like my sister again. Eyes lit up. Hair fluffed.” He held her wrist, playfully messing with her hair until she hit his ribs.

“Ouch! Okay. Enough… I got it. But my point still stands… You’re more yourself now than you’ve been in a while.”

Griffin gave a smile. “I guess so…”

\---------------------------------------------------------------

Salvador stretched a bit, looking at the clock in her room. “So visiting hours are over… And I’ve got to get back to Palladium and Zarathustra.”

Griffin paused, eyebrows raised. “Zarathustra is staying with you two? Willingly?” She teased. Salvador groaned.

“Not quite… She and Palla got close during the war due to their love of potions… And she’s been helping with his pregnancy levels... Somehow… I’m not even really sure how _that_ ’s working, but hey… Who am I to question?” Salvador shrugged.

“And she and Ediltrude are fighting again, aren’t they?” Griffin snickered.

There was a pause as Salvador sighed. “Yeah… They’re fighting again… and _someone_ isn’t there to play referee… So don’t fuck up between now and Saturday. I beg you.” Griffin chuckled.

“No wonder you wanted to spend a whole day with me… You’re running away.” She laughed. “Good luck, Sal. Good luck.”

He flipped her off as he went to the doors of the common room. “Fuck you.”

“Love you too, Brother Dear.” She snickered. (Oh she loved not having to be involved in _that_ for once. Thank the Dragons.)


	29. Chapter Twenty-Eight: Fight of Their Lives

  1. Fight of Their Lives



She took a deep breath as she walked in through the therapy room doors. Her last trip, her last moment of confession… And then she was free. (Maybe not absolved… But free none the less.)

Faye gave her a wave and smile, extending her hand toward the couch. “Big day… It’ll be our last session… Feeling excited?” The doctor asked, brown eyes shining into her amber ones.

Griffin gave a smile, taking her seat. “Yes and no. I’m thrilled to be getting out… But…” She felt the smile drop. “But I know what we’ll be talking about today… And it’s not… It’s not a fond memory.”

Dr. Faye gave a nod, looking at her notes. “The final battle. It took place on Domino, near Castle Sparx… Right?”

“Right.” She bit her lip. “The remaining Coven members who hadn’t been taken into custody or weren’t fighting elsewhere were fighting in that battle… And it had the largest concentration of the Army of Darkness…”

Faye paused. “I know I should have asked last session… But can you… Tell me just what the Army is? I tried to look it up but I’ve not found anything…”

“It’s because it was redacted information… We were afraid that someone would try to resurrect the Army and… It would destroy everything.” She paused, trying to find the words.

_Grotesque monsters. Creatures that rose from the ground, created from the rot and misery of those who had perished on their soil. They smelled of death and wanted only one thing: destruction._

“Only those who possessed the Dark Dragon’s Fire could control them. If someone brought them back to life without the power of the Dark Dragon’s Fire, they’d basically be signing their own death warrants. They will not listen to anyone _without_ the dragon’s fire whispering into their thoughts.” It was one of the more terrifying things about them… About _him._

Sure, Belladonna and her sisters had controlled Valtor, but for how long? Had he known the true power he possessed, had he known how to truly tap into his inner flames, the Ancestral Witches would have been the _least_ of their problems.

He’d have razed the realms to the ground, summoning the Army and daring anyone to oppose him. (And she would know. She’d been forced many a night to listen to his schemes… The delusions of grandeur.)

Griffin waved her hands, showing images of the different types of creatures he’d brought forth to fight them. “The Army of Darkness had various warrior styles. The fliers. The bugs. The golems. And of course the mega-monsters when they merged together. You had to be sure to completely destroy the monster too, or it’d just reform.”

Faye shook her head, her face starting to go from black to pale. “Dragons… How… How could one being have that much power?”

The witch paused, letting the images poof away. “I’d have to check the lore… But it has to do with the power the actual Dark Dragon had… Before he merged his soul to the ruler of Obsidian in an attempt to escape the Ancestral Witches… That Army was originally supposed to defend Obsidian against evil… But…”

“But it found itself turned and tainted?” Faye asked, starting to regain her color. “Seems like you had quite the fight on your hands dealing with those things.”

“You have no idea…” Griffin swallowed. “Those things locked on to light magic and targeted the fairies in such a way… It was like they _drained_ their magic and turned it dark. Faragonda wasn’t as effected as the others, which I suppose could have been key to our winning…”

“Why wasn’t she effected?” Griffin gave a smile.

“Faragonda is the only one in her family to have wings. She’d be raised a witch, was even slated to be my roommate back at Cloud Tower… Until orientation when she sprouted wings and had to make a fast exit for Alfea.” She couldn’t help but chuckle at the memory, even at the expense of Faragonda. Her newly sprouted wings fluttering as fast as they could to get her away from the others.

“So she still retained the ability to delve into negative energy? Despite her fairy affiliations?” Faye hummed. “Now that sounds interesting… Do you have any idea how rare it is for a fairy to present as a witch first? Or even rarer, a witch who presented as a fairy? Now those are some fascinating subjects.”

“Trying to help me find a new project to work on, Doc?” Griffin half-teased, thankful for the slight tone change.

“Honestly, I’m just curious about the whole thing… Magic is so… Ever-changing… It’s beautiful.” Faye shook her head. “But we need to stay focused…”

“Tell me, what happened on Domino? How did the final battle unfold?”

\--------------------FB----------------------------------------FB----------------------------------------

Domino was already under siege by the time they had arrived. Ice and snow fell harsh and fast over the land, earthquakes and lightning storms destroying the buildings and causing the masses to panic.

Eraklyon’s guards were nowhere to be found, but Domino’s were trying their best. They were holding off the Army, a few had broken off to protect the civilians.

Marion stepped forward, an aura activating around her that had Griffin and Zarathustra backing away.

The fairy queen was a reservoir of light magic, a being who didn’t just draw from the positivity around her, but generated it herself. Her eyes went from blue to red, the flaming aura of the Light Dragon consuming her. “How dare they?” She snarled, her voice no longer hers.

Oritel walked over to her, taking her hand. He didn’t even seem to flinch at the fire around him, instead he seemed to welcome the burns. “Mari… We need you to focus. Anger won’t solve our problems here.”

(That was a joke, coming from Oritel. He was hotheaded and egotistical, just as many of the other wizards Griffin had encountered were. But… With Marion like this, lost to her inner-dragon… A balance had to be maintained.)

The flames around the fairy seemed to die down, but her eyes still held them within her. “We need to split up. Salvador, Zarathustra, I need the two of you to head back to the Fortress and gather as many of the others as you can. We’ll need a full army.”

She turned to Saladin, Hagen, and Griselda. “Take down whoever you can, however you can. We will not let them live another day. Do I make myself clear?” She asked, her calm tone belying the aura around her.

The two groups gave a nod, unwilling to argue with her, and left for their respective posts, ready for whatever came next.

“What about us?” Faragonda asked, fists clenched. She was bruised and battered from Obsidian, but she seemed ready enough to tough it out.

Marion paused, her expression softening. “I need the two of you to find Daphne and Bloom. Make sure that… No matter what happens here… They make it out.” She turned to Oritel.

“I know how to find _him_. Let’s go.” She grabbed her husband’s wrist, that fire returning as she started off.

Griffin grabbed to Faragonda. “Come on… We need to get a move on. Before the castle collapses.”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------

The inside of Castle Sparx was a maze, designed intentionally to mess with anyone who wasn’t part of the royal family (or staff). “Where could they be? Surely Daphne isn’t out fighting…?” Faragonda swore, flitting about between rooms.

Griffin frowned. It was possible… The young fairy had earned her Enchantix… And she was about as eager as her brother was to fight… But with little Bloom needing her…

“I say we have a fifty-fifty chance of that being the case… Though I’m sure Maggie would have better figures…” She opened one of the doors, the one that lead to the Archives.

One of the spider creatures lunged for her, stinger ready. She blasted it back, once. Twice. Three times.

Each time it seemed to grow, ready for more. “Faragonda… A little help would be nice.” She called for the fairy, deciding to shield herself instead of blasting it any more.

Faragonda swore from behind her, wings tinkling as she landed. “Oh fun… They’ve broke into the castle… Are they considered a dark spell or…?”

“I don’t think it matters, Fara.” Griffin snipped, backing away again. The creature screeched out, windows breaking and the flying monsters began to swarm them.

She turned and extended her hand. “Convergence?”

Faragonda grinned. “Aww, you think we can harmonize? That’s cute.”

“Not. The. Time. Faragonda.” Griffin spat out, taking the fairy’s hand in hers.

Conduits. That’s what they became as they drew from the opposite ends of the spectrum of magic. They were counterparts in energy-based magic; Griffin drawing upon the very nature of the negative energy of Domino, while Faragonda drew the nature of Domino’s positive energy to her.

From their essence magic (blue and green) came a new cyan glow, a bright and swarming light.

Once they released and the light dimmed, they were safe. The only remains of the creatures were the rot that once held their shape. “That was incredible!” Faragonda grinned from the floor, having been pushed to the ground.

Griffin moved off the wall she’d landed against, rubbing the back of her head. “It was something…” She looked around, swearing. “Come on… We still have to find the girls.”

“Right… Right… Just… Let me breathe for a second.” Faragonda moved to her knees, fluttering her wings fast to get rid of the gunk. “I hate when those things explode… They get everywhere.”

The witch shook her head. “You sound like Luna.”

“Gunk is gunk, Griffin. And when my wings are gunked, I can’t fly. Do you have any idea how horrible it is for a fairy to be _grounded_?” Faragonda scoffed, getting to her feet. “It’s like… A witch without her precious Book of Shadows.”

Griffin paused, considering that notion. “I’m not sure it’s to _that_ extreme… But I understand.” She admitted. “Actually… that gives me an idea… Daphne does have a bit of the Dragon Fire, right?”

“Right.”

“Which means she can be traced using her flame.” Griffin put her hands up, concentrating hard.

Daphne. She needed to find Daphne. _Blonde. Brown eyes. Defiant spirit. A protector. Princess of Domino. A fairy. Enchantix. A source for the Dragon Fire._

“What is that?” Faragonda asked, gesturing to the blue orb in Griffin’s hands.

“A will-o-wisp.” She gave it a toss, watching it fly through the halls of the castle. “Follow that wisp. It knows where the girls are.” Griffin started to chase after it, the tinkling behind her letting her know Faragonda was right on her heels.

“If you say so!”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A flaming blast forced the duo to stop in their tracks. “One more step and I swear I’ll burn you from the inside out!” A familiar growl came from behind the throne room pillars. Daphne.

Sharp cries had them share a look, listening as the fairy tried to hush the sounds. “I mean it! Not another step!” She threatened again.

Faragonda stepped from behind Griffin, letting her wings show. “Daphne… It’s us. Faragonda and Griffin? Marion and Oritel sent us to find you and Bloom.” The fairy tried to coax the princess, keeping her voice even.

“And how do I know this isn’t one of your tricks, Lysslis? You think I didn’t notice the fake dragon outside? Or when those supposed hippogriffs tried to storm the west gates?” Daphne kept her defiant streak. (And the cries from Bloom got louder, fear radiating in the room.)

Wait… Lysslis?

“Daphne… Dig your nails into your palms or hit the pillar. If we’re really an illusion, pain will make it break. Remember? Zarathustra and Ediltrude drilled all of you fairies on how to break through.” Griffin reminded her.

There was a pause before the fairy stepped out, the baby in hand.

She looked worn out, her eyes not shining as they usually did, her hair mussed. Even her wings seemed to droop.

And Bloom was clinging tightly, sobbing. “The whole realm’s been shaking and all the fighting has her scared. Nothing I do is calming her down and… And I can’t just leave her to fight.”

“You’re in no condition to fight anyway… You’re supposed to protect.” Faragonda chided, walking over to the younger woman. She twirled her hands, tissues appearing. “Dry your eyes darling… Let me take little Bloom.”

They traded, Faragonda starting to bounce and coo, letting her wings generate a bit of fairy dust. Bloom sneezed, shaking her head. Not amused. “Griffin, what was that sleeping spell again? I think we need it for her…”

Griffin walked closer, getting Bloom’s attention by wagging her finger slowly in front of her. She murmured softly, watching as blue eyes finally shut. “It won’t last long… A few hours at the most…” She turned to Daphne. “Now we need to get you both out of here.”

“No way. If my brother’s fighting, I am too. We can’t let them have Domino!” Daphne glowered, wings perking back up.

“You’re in no condition to-”

A quake shook the entire realm, portions of the castle crumbling down. Griffin swore, putting up a shield to try and protect them. “Domino’s going to be a lost cause if we don’t finish this soon!”

“Then let me help! I might could tip the balance.” Daphne argued.

“No way. Marion and Oritel would kill us if we let you out there.” Faragonda countered, looking to Griffin. “Do you think the Nether will be safe enough?”

“It’ll be boring as hell, but it should keep them protected until we reach back out.” Griffin agreed, looking to Daphne. “I’m sorry, Princess, but Bloom needs you more than your brother does. He has Marion and the rest of us watching his back.”

“Then who’s watching yours?” Daphne tried again.

“Hopefully… The Dragons.” Faragonda handed Bloom’s sleeping form back to Daphne. “Please… Understand why we’re doing this.” She turned to Griffin, giving a nod.

Both cast the spell, teleporting Daphne and Bloom into the Nether, a pocket dimension used solely for protective and hiding purposes.

“Now, to head back out and see where we’re needed.”

\------------------FB------------------------------------FB--------------------------------

“So you and Faragonda were the last to see the princesses of Domino alive?” Faye asked. Griffin looked up, trying to find her words.

“Yes. We were…” She tapped her fingers against the couch arm, frowning. “They weren’t in the Nether when we came back for them… And everywhere we looked…” She swallowed. “The only things we could find were Daphne’s tiara and Bloom’s rattle. We… We have no idea what happened.”

“Do you think they could still be alive?” Faye asked.

“It’s… Possible… Doubtful, but possible…” She shook her head. “But if they were alive… Why hasn’t Daphne shown herself yet? Surely she knows the war is over by now? And Bloom… If she’s not with Daphne, then where is she?”

“All good questions…. Though I’m not the one to ask.” Faye shifted. “So… You and Faragonda went back into the fray after thinking the girls were secure… What happened there?”

“A final confrontation…”

_The deaths of Marion and Oritel… The end of the Ancestral Witches… And the shattering of Valtor._

\-------------------FB-------------------------------FB----------------------------------------------

The fighting seemed endless. There were far more creatures than there were soldiers, and they didn’t seem to tire out at all.

Company forces were getting wary, tired. But they kept on, trying to force the monsters back into rot.

Ash began to fall with the snow, the smell of smoke becoming harder and harder to ignore. Quakes kept the battlefield changing and shifting, the earth opening up to reveal swarms of the decaying creatures.

“This is getting too much… I don’t know how much longer we can do this.” Saladin admitted, back to back with Griffin.

She had her shield up, trying to burn as many of them as she could with it. “Don’t give up on me now, Saladin… Where’s that heroic spirit you used to shove down our throats?” She half-teased, throwing her hands. The energy of the shield expanded, burning a horde of the little terrors.

It gave them a little leeway to move and fight. Some breathing room. “I think I buried that already. But thanks for the reminder.” He deadpanned, drawing power from his staff to burn back one of the golems.

_Boom. Crash. Ka-BOOM!_

Near blinding lights had both witch and wizard stopping, unsure of what to do. The creatures fell back, weak to the… Lasers? Lasers?

“Salvador and Zarathustra came through!” Hagen could be heard laughing, gesturing to the sky.

Sure enough, a fleet of squad ships had swarmed the air space, blasting everything from lasers to bombs at the monsters.

Ladders dropped down, soldiers from nearly every realm came down, weapons and magic ready to use.

Griffin couldn’t help but laugh, relief flooding her thoughts. They just might live through this after all…

Or at least… That was the thought.

Another explosion and a massive quake shook the entire realm. Buildings could be heard collapsing in on themselves, the ships fought to stay airborne.

More ash. More smoke.

A feeling of dread setting in, the warmth of Domino was gone.

Griffin didn’t even think about it, her feet already moving in the direction of the blasts, dodging past the remaining rot monsters and Coven soldiers.

She could vaguely hear Faragonda shouting to her, asking her to slow down, to wait up. But she couldn’t. She had to see for herself. She had to see if the keepers of the dragon fire had died.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------

The entire section of meadow was dead and burned, a circle of snow and trees showing just how epic the battle had to have been.

Piles of ash laid about the ground, steam moving away.

She stopped herself from gasping at the form laid on the ground after the smoke had cleared away.

Valtor. The only one remaining. He was badly burned, steam still coming off his body. But he was breathing.

Griffin opened her palms, letting her magic thrum just beneath her skin. (She wasn’t taking any chances. Not this time.)

“Come to try and finish the job?” Amused. He sounded amused… (And tired. Was he as tired as the rest of them?)

The wizard managed to get to his feet, staggering and wobbly. By all means she should have considered him weak, a non-threat, but she knew better. “Depends… What happened here?” She asked.

He laughed, shaking his head. “I think you know what happened… I killed them… All of them.” He laughed again, half-manic this time. “Marion and Oritel and their self-righteous bullshit… They tried a convergence spell… And it backfired...”

“And the Ancestral Witches? Such a joke… They were actually afraid of the little fairy and her warrior husband. Can you imagine? Acting sooo powerful and being so frightened? And I gave my loyalty to that?” He shook his head, that laugh still going.

She could feel her blood chilling, the realization setting in. “You killed them too? How-”

“Could I? My own mothers?” Valtor took a step toward her, smiling to reveal those too-sharp teeth. “Oh Griffin, surely _you_ of all people know what I’m capable of. What was it you called me…? Heartless?” He laughed.

“Of course… I could be worse…” He moved toward her, faster than he should have been able to in his condition.

She backed away, keeping her breathing even. “I will not hesitate to kill you where you stand.” She snarled.

“Really? You’d kill the father of your child?” He asked, eyes studying her. Bemused. (Child…? How?)

Griffin kept her composure, glowering. “What are you going on about now? A child? I’m pretty sure I’d know if I’d had one.” She snipped. Deny. Deny. Deny.

Valtor shook his head, that laugh starting up again. (Had he really lost his mind?) “You think I don’t know? That I can’t _feel_ the flames radiating from them? That I’m not _connected_?” He waved one of his hands. “Granted… I can’t feel their presence as strongly anymore… Not sense you smothered it out on realms’ knows what planet you put them on… But I know I can find them… Will-o-wisps are just a whisper and an ask away…”

“Of course you could always come with. A two-parent household is more conventional…” He smiled. “The choice _is_ yours.”

“Do you honestly think you’ll be leaving Domino?” She asked, growling. “That anyone here will let you just leave?”

“No. I suspect they’ll lock me away… Omega perhaps… But I’ll get out… And I’ll start my search. I’ll find that child. One way or another.” He tilted his head. “Question is… Are you going to stand in my way or by my side?”

No. No. No.

She couldn’t allow it. She _wouldn’t_ allow it. (He was right. Damn he was right. Omega was the favored place to send those like him… And she couldn’t… She couldn’t risk it.)

Griffin closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath. Calm. She felt eerily calm despite what she’d planned…

She walked over to him, taking his hand. The wizard gave a slight smile, eyes seeming to soften. “Seems we’re back where we started.”

“Wrong. This is where you’ll be ending.” She dug her nails into the skin of his palm, feeling the ice prickling.

“Are you…?” He stopped, the ice already starting up his arm and through his body, sinking beneath his skin. “Using my own mother’s spells against me…?” Valtor gave a bit of a laugh, his last sound before the ice overtook him.

She moved away from the statue, feeling the energy in her palms. One blast. That’s all it would take and the ice, and the statute, would shatter.

Shouts could be heard in the distance, telling her not to do it. Warning her against it. (She could vaguely remember a voice saying something about murder…)

It didn’t take. She summoned the remaining negativity from Domino and watched as Valtor shattered like glass. Dead. He was dead. It was over…

Griffin couldn’t recall what happened after. One moment she was in the newly frozen wasteland that was Domino, and the next she was on a squad ship with a blanket draped over her, Salvador and Faragonda trying to get her to say something. Anything….

\-----------------FB------------------------------FB--------------------------------

“Oritel and Marion fought against the Ancestral Witches and Valtor… And they all ended up destroying themselves?” Faye asked, needing the verification.

Griffin gave a slow nod. “That’s right. By the time Faragonda and I arrived, the battle was over and all that remained were ash and dust.” A lie. A major lie… But it was one they had all agreed upon. (Just as they had all agreed on the stillborn story…)

“Sounds like it had to have been quite the battle… I’m sure it was exhausting for the rest of you…”

“I think most of us slept for weeks on end… Just… Catching up on rest… I know I slept for three days straight after….” After all of it…

“And then the memorial occurred on Magix…?”

“And we all ended up here.” Griffin concluded. “And that’s my side of what happened on Domino.”

Faye finished up her notes. “In that case… Griffin… You’re no longer in need of my sessions and you should be all set to go by Saturday. I’d say today, but you know how the staff here is about paperwork.” Faye scrunched her nose. “The worst part of the job.”

Griffin gave a slight chuckle, relief flooding through her. “I’m just glad it’s all over.” She stood, extending her hand to Faye. “Thank you, by the way… For everything.”

Faye grinned, shaking her hand. “It’s my job. Just like the war was yours.” She gestured to the doors. “Now get out of here and start packing. I’m sure you’re more than ready to get out of the uniform.”

The witch smiled. “Yeah… I’m just not feeling the white…” She teased, making her way out.

Done. It was all said and done and she was free. (For real this time. Free.)


	30. Chapter Twenty-Nine: Unbreakable

  1. Unbreakable



She finally closed up her suitcase, pausing to take it all in. It was over. She’d “passed” the decompression therapy. She’d filed out the last of the paperwork. Her bag was packed.

It was over. The therapy. The war. All of it.

(Just one thing left to sort out… And that wasn’t until next month… One more month. Just one more.)

Griffin couldn’t help the little smile she gave, relief and… Joy. Joy filled her again. She was finally free. She could rebuild, reconnect… Be something besides a soldier and a spy.

“Don’t tell me you’re starting to get sentimental on me, Griffin.” Hagen teased from her doorway, leaned against the frame. “I know damn well you won’t miss it here.”

She chuckled, turning to face him. “I’m just thrilled to be truly free now…” She paused, realization hitting. He wasn’t. Not yet.

The witch walked over, pulling the large man in for a hug. He had tensed, surprised. (She’d never been one for physicality, but she knew if she didn’t, and Faragonda found out, she’d be in trouble…)

“Stay out of trouble…? Okay? I’d hate for Fara to contemplate divorce before you’re even married.” Griffin half-teased, pulling away. Hagen just gave one of his laughs, as if trying to play it out.

“It’s not like I go looking for trouble… It just happens to find me.” He reminded her, giving a nudge. “Your brother coming to get you soon? Or are you going to have to send yourself home?”

“Salvador’s coming to collect… He needs to escape the house.” Griffin felt herself smirk. “Apparently Zarathustra and Ediltrude are still fighting and… Zarathustra’s been staying with them…”

Hagen burst out laughing, one of his true belly laughs. “Poor Sal… He never knew how to deal with arguing women.”

“He barely knows how to deal with arguing men.” She shook her head. “My poor brother.”

“At least you’ll be back to diffuse the situation.” Hagen shrugged. “Or whatever it is you do to make them stop fighting….”

“Honestly? I just form a barrier around them and let them duke it out. With a few spell exceptions… No conjuring minions or shadow creatures, no lethal spell castings, and no fighting after one of them has been down for more than 30 seconds.” Griffin recounted. “Usually works… Usually…”

(Okay… So sometimes it ended in a completely different argument… In which case Griffin would make herself the target of the duo. Fighting _together_ seemed to spark peace between them…)

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The cool breeze and shades of color on the trees seemed to breathe a new life into the witch. She was home.

Finally. She was back on Rancor, her brother at her side, and they were home. Well… They were at Sal’s home… He’d inherited their parents’ house and renovated bits and pieces… And Griffin was to stay at least two weeks with them for ‘monitoring purposes’.

“I kept your room how it was considering everything… And you know you’re here for a bit. Can’t have you relapsing or anything.” Salvador gave her the run down. “And I can’t wait to show you the nursery… Though I may need your input on the color scheme…”

Griffin chuckled. It was so… Normal. Peaceful. Her life was back.

“I’m sure Palladium is the only one you really should be considering in that…” She teased, walking through the front door.

She couldn’t help but give a sympathetic smile to the elf, seeing him propped up on the couch, hand over his stomach. “Kicking your ass, isn’t it?” She teased. His ears wiggled and he propped up, giving a weak smile.

“Griffin… I’m so glad you’re here. You have no idea what I’ve been through and the idiots I’ve been surrounded by.” Palladium got to his feet, slightly wobbly. “It’s been such a mess.”

The witch set her suitcase down and pulled him close, grinning at the kick she felt from his stomach. “Hello to you too, Morgan…” She cooed, looking to Palladium. “I tried to warn you about how sickening pregnancy can be… But you insisted and found the spell anyway…”

“I know. And I wouldn’t trade it for the world… But at the same time… Why does it have to take sooo long?” The elf gave a whine, turning to his husband. “You’re never touching me again, by the way. Ever. Just so we’re clear.”

Salvador sighed, looking to the ceiling. “Yes, dear. Whatever you say, Dear. Should I remember that on those cold nights when you snuggle in or…?” Griffin shook her head, waving her hands and moving from between them.

“More than I want to know… Thank you.” She looked around a moment, taking it in. Pictures still on the walls, but the paint had changed to lighter colors. New couch, a bookcase brought in.

Little placeholder frames for when Morgan made his or her arrival. (A small bassinet near the couch, an easy to get to nap area).

“Seems you two have been busy.” She chuckled. “The rest of the house like this?”

“Sort of… We have a least three different places for bassinets and then the nursery itself… And Zarathustra helped us with warding the nursery off… You… Can’t be too careful…” Salvador gave a slight smile. “Kind of hate that Morgan won’t have a friend to grow up with…”

She shot him a look. “What did I say?”

Salvador sighed. “I know. I know… I’m just… It’s all over… You know? You could… Go looking…”

“Faragonda doesn’t remember where she placed her. We made sure of that, remember?” Palladium jumped to Griffin’s defense. “Now… Can we not start this argument right now? I’m more empathetic than normal and I already feel more emotional and I really don’t need more.” He turned to Griffin. “And please for the love of the Dragons, talk to Ediltrude and Zarathustra… I can’t handle much more of their fighting…”

She gave a slight smile, her body starting to relax. “I’ll see what I can do. But I can’t promise much.”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Griffin gave a low whistle as she studied both sisters. Battered and bruised…. But it was done. “Do you feel better now?” She asked, crossing her arms.

Zarathustra gave a glare to her sister. “I guess.”

“Why not? Not like we can continue this fight anyway.” Ediltrude snipped. “Seriously though, Z… I was just trying to help.”

“Yeah, but now I’ve got to figure out a date, so thanks for that.” Zarathustra shook her head. “You just had to open your damn mouth…”

Griffin frowned, getting in between them. “Back up… What’s this about?”

“Ediltrude opened her mouth to Griselda… And now I apparently have a date.” Zarathustra glared.

“Isn’t… That a good thing?” Griffin asked, feeling more and more confused. “You like the pixie, right?”

“That’s not the point! I was fine admiring from afar… Like really far away… But now I have to… Confront feelings and things because of my stupid sister.” Zarathustra narrowed her eyes, her aura daring to flash back to life.

“I was just trying to stop you from pining like a bitch. Come on, Z… I’m tired of watching you pixie-watch.”

Griffin pinched the bridge of her nose. “And I’m tired of both of you getting into shit like this.” She turned to Zarathustra. “Edi should have kept her nose out of it, Zarathustra, but at the rate you were going about this whole Griselda thing yourself…? We’d have been hearing about this for years. No thank you.”

“Ediltrude… I’m glad you’re an approving and protective older twin, I am… And I get that this needed a jumpstart, but next time stay out of it.” She sighed. “There. My work is done.” Griffin turned to walk off.

“And just what about you? Aren’t we going to discuss your stay with the shrinks?” Ediltrude appeared in front of her.

“Or at the very least we should discuss _why_ it took so long.” Zarathustra crossed her arms. “We get that you saw more of the Coven than we did, but we’re still your sisters… We need to know what we could be dealing with as far as your… Health goes.” She didn’t need to add, mental, that was implied.

“Excuse me?” Griffin questioned.

“We’re in a coven together, Griffin. Have been for a while now. And you know as well as anyone else that if something affects one of us, it’ll affect us all. So tell us, what should we be expecting of you? What do we need to look out for?”

Griffin frowned. “You’re sounding like a Mother Hen.”

“Someone has to. Now spill.” Ediltrude stepped closer, waving her hands. Three chairs appeared, Zarathustra immediately claiming the left one. “We’ve got all day.”

The witch sighed. They were her sisters… She did have an obligation to warn them…. (And deep down, she knew they cared, whether they’d ever say it or not… Just as she cared for them…)

“Fine… But you’ll be sorry you asked.”


	31. Chapter Thirty: It Ends Tonight

  1. It Ends Tonight



“So you really expect the people of the Magical Dimension and all its realms to believe that you, the Grand Council, the most powerful wizards of your generation, did all you could do in the war? Even with all the destruction and the lives lost?” King Radius started out, glaring toward the men who made up the Grand Council.

The Council sat in the ‘defendant’ section. Head Councilman Linus, Councilman Yerka, Councilman Givelian, Councilman Ibnakasir all sat together, glaring toward the Company of Light.

King Teredor stood up, leaning against the podium attached to his seat. “And you want us to believe that you shouldn’t be held responsible for everything that’s happened? That you never _received_ our cries for help? That you never _assisted_ the Ancestral Coven in nearly destroying all of the realms?”

Linus stood, leaning against his own podium. “We never received word that you or Oritel or anyone needed assistance. And we surely never assisted the Coven in taking over the realms.”

Hagen frowned, crossing his arms. He’d managed to get a day pass for the hearing and was going to make good of his time. “You sure about that?” He asked, gesturing to the main screen. Electronio played the tapes.

_Oritel and Marion were before the Council, pleading their case for assistance. Linus glowered at them_

_“We’re not going to waste precious resources on a petty squabble between Obsidian and Domino.”_

_“It’s not a petty squabble! And it’s not just between Domino and Obsidian! Those witches are building an army and are attacking the outerrealms as we speak!” Marion growled._

_“All we’re asking is for you to back us up! We don’t need many resources… Just a few of your soldiers. That’s all we need.”_

_“The answer is no.”_

A hush fell over the crowd as Electronio turned off the tapes. Ediltrude moved through the groups, handing out copies of the letters. “And I’m sure these don’t prove you were working _with_ the Ancestral Witches?” Ediltrude asked, handing the last of the copies to the Council. “Please read the highlighted section, Councilman Yerka.”

Yerka glowered up at Ediltrude, as if he wanted to fight her on reading the letters. “I’m not going to indulge you in your, pardon the phrase, witch hunt. These letters, as well as those tapes, are obviously fabricated. You and your Company of Light are just trying to cover up what really happened.”

“And just what do _you_ think happened?” Faragonda asked, glowering. Griffin felt her own anger rising.

“Yes, Councilman Yerka, tell us what you think happened.” Griffin snipped. Yerka stood.

“King Oritel and Queen Marion, may their souls rest in peace, were in over their heads with a war they never should have been allowed to start.” Yerka defended his position.

King Neptune rose, slightly unsteady on his human legs. “A war they shouldn’t have been ‘allowed’ to start? The Ancestral Witches are the ones who started the war when they attacked Cybill and destroyed the major food supplies we get from there.”

“Not to mention the attack they lead on Isis.” King Lazuli spoke. “Our gems of power and balance were stolen and our realm went into chaos.”

“If those aren’t acts of war, then I obviously have no idea how one acts during such a time.” Queen Lana of Melody spoke. “Oritel and Marion were just doing what none of us had the courage to do on our own.”

“They formed an alliance with the rest of us because _you_ wouldn’t send them help.” President Hiane of Lunalis reminded the Council.

King Radius stood, hitting the gavel he was given. “Order. Order. We don’t need to raise our voices or get off the subject.” He lowered his gaze to where Yerka still managed to stand. “I believe Ms. Duval asked you to read something for the rest of the court. Please do so now, or I’ll read it for you.”

Yerka glowered, but opened the letter. “ _Belladonna, I know we’ve not had an open correspondence in a while, but I feel I must warn you of an upcoming threat. There is an uprising forming to usurp you and your sisters… In preparation of this, my fellow Councilmen and I will start cracking down harder on the dark magic communities… Maybe a few of those lost souls will find their way to you._ ”

“And who does it say wrote the letter?” Saladin asked. “And say it loud enough for us to hear.”

“The letter was signed by me.” Gasps. Yerka shook his head. “But it means absolutely nothing! Handwriting spells and forged signatures have all been done before.” He turned to Griffin. “I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if a few _Ancestral Sympathizers_ wrote this letter in an attempt to frame us.”

Griffin glowered. “Are you trying to insinuate that I willingly worked for them? That I actually signed my life away to them?” She asked.

Yerka snorted. “Well you and Valtor did make quite the team, didn’t you?” She felt her anger surge, the _need_ to hurt Yerka damn-near overwhelming her senses.

Palladium took her hand, a feeling of calm surging through. “Radius will dismiss us into recess soon… And then when we return, the real fun will begin.” Palladium whispered. “Just try not to lose your cool.”

“Working on it.” She half-hissed/whispered, looking toward Yerka as she stood. “You’re right, Yerka, someone _could_ have forged this letter. But no one can forge the symbol of the Council. And that is right squarely by your signature. I’m sure the Zenithians can make out if it’s a true forgery or not.” She snipped.

Saladin smirked, taking his turn. “And while you’re at it… Givelian… What was it you were doing on Obsidian?”

“Pardon me?” The youngest of the Council snarled. “I’ve never been to such a realm of misery before.”

“But isn’t this your ship?” Saladin asked, gesturing for Electronio to show the image. A specialized travel ship was shown: it was painted in white, black, and red, the colors of the Magical Dimension, and it had the Council Logo on it.

“Yes. That is the ship the Council uses.” Givelian snipped.

“And is that not you exiting the ship?” Queen Luna asked, gesturing to the more zoomed out image.

“Yes.”

“And that’s Mandragora, isn’t it? And the realm is Obsidian?” Queen Luna continued, her voice becoming more threatening.

Givelian had the ‘deer in headlights’ look. “Okay… So I did try to negotiate with the Coven. I was only trying to save our way of life.”

“No. You were consorting with the enemy.” Hagen slammed his hand down on his podium. “You worked together with the Coven, and now countless people have lost their lives, their homes, and their sense of safety. Why deny it?”

“Because it never happened like that.” Ibnakasir growled and stood. “We never tried to do anything but negotiate peace between the two realms of Domino and Obsidian. King Oritel and Queen Marion are the ones who pursued the war.”

“And because of _their_ actions, countless are dead. And while that is a tragedy, it’s not a tragedy that falls on our shoulders.” He continued.

“So what is it you’re trying to say? That _our_ lives don’t matter? Even if you were trying to _negotiate peace_ , you could have tried to evacuate the civilians on the realms that were attacked! You could have sent aid! But instead, what did you do?! Tell me, tell all of us: What did you do?” Faragonda snapped, jumping to her podium.

For a half-second it looked as if she’d transform, the light surrounding her threatening to reveal her wings. “What did you do? How many had to die before you got out of your little Council Room?”

Silence. None of them could answer. “That’s what I thought. You know what _we_ did? We sent in search and rescue teams. _We_ delivered food and water and medicine. _We_ helped relocate families who lost their homes.”

The fairy falter a bit, her body shaking with emotion. Griffin was half-tempted to go to her, but Hagen had already made the steps, placing his hands on Faragonda’s shoulders. “ _We…_ We had to bury the dead and had ensure they had a respectful burial. _We_ had to tell mothers and fathers that their children died in the aftermath. _We_ had to tell children that _their_ _parents_ were dead. What did you do?”

More silence. Anger and outrage filled the room as other Company members decided to tear into the Council.

“Where were you when my wife was attacked? When Melody and its Singing Whales were under siege?” Ho-Boe asked. “Where was the Council then?”

“My planet died. Where were you at, Councilmen, when Rozz was destroyed by the Army of Darkness?” Lidia, a fairy commander under Hagen asked. “Where were you when my sister took her last breath? Or when Belladonna froze us over? Where were you?”

“I nearly had to bury my son because of your inactions during the war. My son. He’s only two. And I almost had to bury him.” Queen Inai of Tides told them, her voice quaking. “My sweet boy, my only child… Almost dead.”

It went on like that for hours it seemed, more and more coming forward with how the war affected them and their lives. And how they blamed the Council for not helping.

Radius had to call for a lunch recess, the emotion and shared traumas nearly drowning the room.

The only ones it seemed who weren’t effected by the words or evidence presented… Were the Councilmen themselves.

“Don’t worry… They’ll have a different tune once we return.” Palladium assured the Company, a little wicked smile on his face. (It seemed off on his lighter features, to have such a wicked grin, but it suited him nonetheless.)

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“My fellow Councilmen and I agree that no one should have suffered at the hands of the Ancestral Witches… But the point of the matter was, and is, that Oritel and Marion created an interdimensional army without consulting us and in doing so, endangered everyone.” Linus spoke up.

There was a twitch to his mouth, and Palladium nudged Griffin. “Show time. By the next question it should take effect.” Palladium whispered.

Erendor stood up, ready to speak. (It would be his first ‘speech’ since the Fall of Domino, his first speech since he’d abandoned everyone that day.)

“I’m glad we can agree that no one _should have_ had to suffer. But to blame Marion and Oritel for your own crimes? That’s just wrong. You admitted to visiting with the Ancestral Witches and we have proof of you turning the King and Queen of Domino away when they came to you for help. Why shouldn’t we just have you all arrested and exiled now?”

Givelian glowered, a twitch to his hand as he stood. “Because we did what we had to do! None of you see it. But we did. We saw it all.”

Queen Niobe tilted her head. “And just what was it that you saw, Councilmen?”

“That this war was the perfect set up.” A gasp filled the room as Linus and the others pulled Givelian away from podium, hand on his mouth.

“What he meant to say was…. Exactly that.” Yerka admitted. “We wanted to be rid of the Dragons and their powers once and for all.” He swallowed, the exertion of having to say it all out-loud nearly too much.

The courtroom was filled with whispers and gasps, Radius having to draw it all back into order. Erendor stood, glaring toward the Council. “Why would you wish to be rid of the Dragons? Their powers are what keep this universe in balance!”

Ibnakasir stood, his legs shaking as he stepped back to the podium. It was clear he was trying to fight the truth, but Palladium was always potent with his potions. Always. “No one should have that kind of power. Not the Ancestral Witches. Not Valtor. And not Marion or Oritel.”

“We knew as soon as King Jordan and Queen Gnala were murdered and their throne was overtaken by the Ancestral Coven there would be trouble. The Dark Dragon fire was not a power they needed to possess; they were dealing in forces they didn’t understand.” Linus started.

“So we started to subtly set the stage for war… We turned on the dark magic users for the Ancestral Witches to be able to manipulate… We denied Marion and Oritel help. All we needed was for Valtor and Marion to kill each other. To end their own lives and the lives of their dragons.” Yerka swallowed.

Givelian gave a defiant look, glaring accusingly at Griffin. “We didn’t expect for the King and Queen of Domino to _turn to a witch_ for help. That was our bad.”

Griffin frowned. “Excuse me? I turned your little plan upside down? Didn’t you get what you wanted anyway?” She asked, feeling that sickening clench against her heart. Something wasn’t right. They didn’t have a whole picture there.

“You joined the Coven under false pretenses. You gave _assistance_ the Company of Light…” Linus growled. “You were ruining everything. So we warned Valtor about you. To keep an eye on you.”

The witch kept her composure, but felt a slight buckle in her knees. _So they had Valtor to set her up… They were the reason it was all in motion…_

“Of course, even you being found out wasn’t enough to put our plan back on track. Was it? We’ve seen the records from Ofelia… You and Marion both had children. So the dragons still live. Somewhere.” Givelian spat out.

Griffin stood, giving a look to Givelian. “If you actually paid attention to what you’ve read on me and Marion, only one of us had a surviving child… And I’m telling you nicely not to speak ill of the dead.” She turned to Radius. “I’m recusing myself from the rest of the proceedings out of professionalism. I don’t think it’d be a good look for me to be a judge, jury, and executioner.” She gave a slight bow to Radius before exiting, her nerves not giving way until she’d left the room for the bathroom…

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She felt so sick, leaning against the stall wall. Dry heaves, that was all she’d had left and her nerves still weren’t finished.

Griffin took hold of her hands, letting her nails dig into her palms. (It was okay. She was alive. She’d survived… That was the problem though… She’d survived…)

_All of it was a plan… Just a plan… And she’d been a pawn in a game she didn’t even want to play…_

_A pawn. Just a pawn._

She took a deep breath, trying to regulate her energy flow. Bursts of energy were at her fingertips, her body thinking she was _actually_ under attack. (Maybe she was.)

But it was over now. It was over.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Griffin waited outside as the hearing finished up, all four former Councilmen were in magi-cuffs. She couldn’t stop herself from walking forward, making sure to get where she’d be heard.

“Come to gloat?” Givelian snarled.

She gave a slight smile, twisted and angry. If their lives were just a game to the former Councilmen, perhaps they’d appreciate a bit of fair play. “Seems to me the Pawns took the Kings. Checkmate.”

And with that, she turned on her heels, going to wait for the others to walk out and tell her what she missed.

(Faragonda and Hagen would probably be gushing and crying out for celebration. Palladium and Salvador would worry over her, making sure she was fine after her little outburst… And Saladin would head out to the memorial gardens to look for Amelia’s name…)

It was over. Finally, truly, over.


	32. Epilogue: Make A Move

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot can change in thirteen years...

Epilogue: Make A Move

She could kill Faragonda… It’d be easy enough, just a simple goo ball spell to stop up her airways… And boom… Problem solved.

But no. No. She knew damn well she’d never be able to bring herself to kill Faragonda… (No matter how tempting the thought may be. Especially on days like today.)

The Day of the Rose, a celebration of family and familial love and… Kill her now. (She never really celebrated it anymore, not since her parents passed… And she knew Salvador and Palladium were celebrating with their recently winged daughter…)

So here Griffin was, sitting on a bench and waiting for Faragonda while the festivities went on around her. She couldn’t help but sneak a smirk to Saladin who was prepping his freshmen racers for the big Race for the Rose event, one of his many joys of teaching at Red Fountain.

And Faragonda had to be somewhere, doing something important for Alfea… (Or she was just running late, as the fairy often seemed to do.)

She was about ready to find a seat for the race, with or without the fairy, when she felt the strongest pull of negative energy she’d felt in a while. An overwhelming feeling of power and an aura of destruction and chaos seemed to follow.

The witch paused, trying to take in her surroundings. No one else seemed to feel the change in the air, or at least, they weren’t bothered.

But she was. She knew that presence, knew far too-well. The fear it used to strike in her. _He’s dead. You killed him. He’s dead._

_Is he?_

Griffin took a breath and got to her feet. She had to find the source and make sure it wasn’t a threat. She couldn’t go down that rabbit hole again… Not after all these years… Not after she’d just got her life back on track.

So she walked the crowds, taking in each person as she passed. Fairies, elves, witches, and heroes. Wizards… People and creatures of all types, celebrating their families.

Some prepped for the race, there were a few setting up for some beauty pageant, a few street performers here and there…

Nothing out of the ordinary…

Was she missing something? Was she just… Having a feeling? (Did the fear finally catch back up to her?)

A sudden chill in the air had her stopping, nearly forcing a gasp from her. Panic. Panic began to rise.

It _was_ a chill… But it wasn’t powerful. It wasn’t like Belladonna’s… Not quite… But there was something familiar about it…

 _Icy. She must be causing some sort of trouble._ Griffin wanted to hex the little witch. She and her sisters were normally… Well-behaved for witches. But there was just something a little _too_ familiar about them that had the older witch questioning her decision to let them into Cloud Tower.

But again… They were wonderful students, thrilled and eager to learn. Powerful. And they seldom got caught when causing chaos…

So why would they try something today of all days? One of the few times a year the witches tried to be on their best behavior because of the Magix celebrations. (No major chaos, only simple small… Inter-personal chaos. Make a few fairies cry or hex a few heroes… But nothing to the population at large, and nothing that could ruin Magix’s celebrations.)

Griffin was definitely going to find out why her students were causing a disruption, and so help them it had better have been a damn good reason. Otherwise the Detention Dimension would be their next stop.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She paused when she was close enough to see what was going on. After all, she needed evidence first, to make sure she wouldn’t be wrongly punishing her students. Everyone deserved a fair trial after all… (Almost everyone…)

There they were: Icy, Darcy, and Stormy, junior Cloud Tower witches, had what appeared to be two middle schoolers cornered in an alley.

One of the girls was taller than the other, tanned with long brown hair and blonde highlights, bright green eyes. And fear radiated from her.

The other was smaller than her friend, with short purple hair and glasses over… Grey-blue eyes. She was paler, and radiated a feeling of rage Griffin hadn’t felt in so long…

“Look ladies, the shrimp thinks she can take us on.” Icy taunted.

“Do you even know who we are, little girl?” Darcy walked over, arms crossed. Stormy chuckled.

“I say we witch them up… Let them know who they’re dealing with.” The youngest opened her palm, a lightning cackling around her.

The smaller girl kept her stance, crossing her arms and giving a smirk. “It’s cute… You think I _care_ who you are? Honestly, you can’t be that important if you’re threatening two thirteen year-olds. That’s… Supposed to be beneath you? Right?” Confidence. So much confidence her voice.

“Like you even know who we are!” Icy hissed, sending a chilled wind toward the girl. But the ice never hit its mark. It melted instead, small puddles forming at her feet.

“Don’t take it personally, I’m too hot for even the more experienced witches to handle.” The younger witch chuckled. Her friend shook her head, moving to grab the smaller girl’s arm.

“Sera… I think we should just do as they say and give them their… Toll money or whatever and leave.” Her friend tugged, nerves making her shake.

“No way. I’m not going to be pushed around by them. I didn’t want to back then, I’m not going to be now.” The other girl pulled her arm away, digging in her heels. “I don’t know who you think you are and I honestly don’t care. But I’m not going to roll over and do what you say just because you _think_ you’re stronger.”

Griffin frowned. _Back then? The girl was awfully young to be worried about such things. Wasn’t she?_

The older witch stepped forward, giving a look to Icy, Darcy, and Stormy. “Do you three mind telling me what’s going on here? Fighting with middle schoolers? Seriously?” She asked, raising an eyebrow.

Icy and her sisters paled a bit. “Headmistress… We were just… Letting the future fairies here know about Cloud Tower turf…”

“I’m not a fairy, thank you.” The purple-haired girl corrected, pushing her glasses back up. “But thanks for the show. I’ll be sure to stay in neutral areas.” She glowered.

Her friend took her hand. “Well… I _am_ a fairy… And I’m very sorry to have trespassed. Not going to happen again.” She tugged at the other’s hand. “Come on, Sera… We should get going…”

Griffin held up a hand. “I’ll take you two back.” She looked Icy and her sisters. “As for you three, Monday morning. My office. Do NOT be late or I’ll send Zarathustra after you.”

The junior witches frowned, but bowed their heads. “Yes, Headmistress.” They chorused, making their way out of the alley and toward the direction of the race.

Griffin turned to the younger two girls. “Come on… I’ll make sure you get to where you’re supposed to be.”

“Thank you.” The brunette gave a slight smile, nudging her friend.

“Yes… Thank you, Headmistress…” The purple-haired girl, Sera, answered. Griffin couldn’t help but study her for a second, a realization hitting.

That dark feeling, that aura, was coming from her. “Where are you supposed to be anyway?” Griffin asked them, trying not to focus too much on the power radiating nearby.

“My brother Micah’s supposed to be in the race. It’s his first year and he’s excited…” The smaller of the two answered. “My parents should be at the stands… And Flora here came with because her dad’s sick…”

Flora? That name sounded familiar. Griffin titled her head. “You wouldn’t happen to be Rhodos’ daughter, would you?” She asked. The brunette smiled, seeming a little more comfortable.

“You know my dad?”

“I fought with him a few times… During…” She paused. She didn’t know if Rhodos or Alyssa had said anything about the Company, and it wasn’t her place to do so.

“During the war? That’s how he met most of his friends. Or so he claims.” The girl made a face. “I mean, he claims he can cook too, but that’s been a lie…”

The other girl chuckled, shaking her head. “Your dad’s an _okay_ cook. He’s just not as good as Mrs. Alyssa.”

“True.” Griffin smiled a bit at the two.

“Sounds like I’ve missed a bit over the years then…”

“You’ve saved your tastebuds, you mean.” Flora teased, turning to her friend. “But he’s not that bad. You, Seraphina, on the other hand…”

“One time. It was one time.”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The two girls bickered and laughed as Griffin escorted them to the stands for the race, making the older witch feel a bit… Warm inside. (And curious. There was something just… So familiar about Seraphina… And that aura…)

A familiar face approached them, making Griffin smile. A friend of hers from Cloud Tower all those years ago. (Okay, not that long ago, but it seemed like a lifetime now.)

She had long dark hair in a messy bun, blue eyes that seemed to shine brighter as they got closer. “Tamsin? It’s been a while.” Griffin half-teased.

The other witch smiled, relief adorning her features when she spotted Flora and Seraphina. “It has. And I see you’ve found my troublesome duo…” She looked over to the girls. “What trouble did you have cause for the newest Headmistress of Cloud Tower to come and get you?”

Sera seemed to flush, Flora ducking behind the smaller girl. “So there may have been some trouble with a few older witches… But everything ended up okay. Not even a scratch…”

Tamsin looked to Griffin, as if for confirmation. “I stopped the fight before it started… Though it seems your girl has your… Headstrong nature.” Griffin teased. Tamsin sighed, sounding exasperated.

“I swear if it’s not her getting into trouble, its Micah…” She paused, looking to Griffin. “Which I will go ahead and apologize for him… I have a feeling he’ll either start sneaking into Cloud Tower or Alfea before the year is over.”

Griffin gave a bit of a wicked smile. “So long as he knows he may not enjoy what he finds.” Tamsin groaned.

“I’m well aware of how Cloud Tower’s security works…” She turned to the girls, gesturing to the stands. “Damian has our seats and the snacks ready… Go wait for me there.” She ordered.

Griffin watched as both girls headed for the stands, pausing when she noticed a familiar mark poking through the tank top sleeve that Sera wore. A black, coiled dragon. _Of course… Why didn’t she realize sooner…?_

“Children… They’ll be the death of me yet.” Tamsin’s voice snapped Griffin out of her thoughts. “But I don’t know what I’d do without them.” She turned to the other witch, giving a smile. “Thank you for watching out for them.”

“Well… I can’t let it get out that a bunch of middle schoolers nearly took down some of my junior students, now can I?” Griffin chuckled. “Tell me… Are they going to be attending school in Magix too?”

Tamsin shrugged. “I don’t know about Flora… But I’ve heard Alyssa talking about Alfea. And considering I’m a graduate of Cloud Tower, it’d be a shame to not let Sera enroll…” She paused, looking to Griffin. “That is… If you’ll keep an eye on her for me? She… Has a knack for getting into trouble.”

Griffin gave a smile. “I’ll watch out for her.” She noticed the racers starting up. “Better get to your seat… Seems the race will begin soon.” Tamsin groaned.

“I don’t even know why I agreed to let Micah race… He’s just going to get himself hurt. I can feel it.”

“He’s a wizard, isn’t he?” Griffin chuckled. Tamsin swore.

“He is. And just like every other damn wizard we know… He’s stubborn and reckless.” She sighed. “Of course…. I’m starting to think Sera’s worse than he is about caution… And her stubborn streak is… A force to reckon with.”

“Hang in there.”

“Trying to.”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She watched the race quietly, taking in the boys from Red Fountain and the other schools competing for some prize or other…

But her mind and heart wasn’t in it. She just kept thinking about the feeling she had, that aura that still pulsed around Magix.

She thought about a witchling with confidence and spunk who was willing to stand up to junior witches. About her short purple hair and those gray-blue eyes. About the birthmark she had. And the aura that surrounded her.

(Val-Seraphina was alive. Alive and strong and… If her defending her friend was any indication, already ‘aligned’ with good morals.)

Of course, the most important thing was the girl was happy… (If the way she was taunting her brother after the race and the way she nudged at Flora were any indication. Not that Griffin should be paying attention to the other stands like that… Or watching…)

And within the next year, she’d know Seraphina a little better… (After all, if the girl did apply to Cloud Tower, there was no way she wouldn’t get in. Even if she didn’t have control of her powers yet, the attitude she displayed was more than enough to solidify her as a CT Witch.)

“What are you daydreaming about?” Faragonda teased, nudging her a bit. The witch snorted, moving her hand to steal some of the fairy’s popcorn.

“I’m just wondering why we bother coming to this event every year… Saladin’s boys are obviously going to win. They’re better trained.” Griffin lied, moving a bit to be able to talk to Faragonda easier.

“I don’t know… Coventry Academy has a pretty good line up this year…” Faragonda tried to defend their event.

Griffin shook her head. “Whatever you say, Pixie.”


End file.
